- Good morning everyone, and Happy Pongal!
Thank you for joining us today to celebrate the official opening of NESST Tukang Dormitory, the first Government built-and-owned dormitory.
It is apt that MOM’s first dormitory is called “Tukang”, which in Bahasa Melayu means a skilled workman or craftsman.
It is a testament to the skills of those who have built this beautiful dormitory, as well as an acknowledgement of those who will reside here going forward.
- Let me begin by thanking everyone who made such an endeavour possible – our partners in the dormitory industry, the industry associations and employers, our community partners and Non-Governmental Organisations, my colleagues from the Ministry of Manpower, NESST Singapore Limited, whole-of-government agencies such as JTC and NParks, and most importantly, the migrant workers who call this place home.
My special thanks go to the migrant workers whose hard work and skill helped build this dormitory and brought it from concept to reality.
- This is a momentous occasion, as it reflects the shared commitment and collective responsibility of the Government, employers, and industry partners, to ensure that our migrant workforce is housed in conditions that are comfortable and conducive to their well-being.
Approach to Migrant Worker Housing
- Migrant workers play an essential role in building Singapore, as they construct our homes and infrastructure, and contribute to our economy.
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For many years, our approach towards housing migrant workers was focused on meeting basic accommodation needs. However, the COVID-19 pandemic reminded us the importance of strengthening our dormitory ecosystem.
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It also underscored our belief that when workers are well-housed and well-cared for, they are better able to give their best at work, and society benefits as a whole.
- Since then, the Government has worked closely with industry partners to raise dormitory standards.
In 2021, we introduced improved standards for new dormitories. These new standards enhance liveability for dormitory residents and reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases.
NESST Tukang Dormitory Features
- NESST Tukang Dormitory is one of the first dormitories to be built based on these new standards.
In fact, we pushed ourselves to do better, because Tukang is meant to testbed innovations and enhancements for the industry. Let me highlight a few key features of the dormitory:
- First, NESST Tukang Dormitory provides a living environment that promotes the physical and mental well-being of our migrant workers.
Following extensive consultations with a diverse range of stakeholders – including a specialist Design Advisory Panel, migrant workers and industry representatives – several innovative, practical, and sustainable features have been incorporated to enhance liveability.
This includes redesigning the floor layouts with larger windows to improve natural airflow and daylight, dedicated social spaces within rooms to facilitate interaction and small group prayers, as well as privacy nooks on each floor for quiet conversations and reflection.
NESST even went further to redesign the usual double-decker beds themselves, adopting a new 6-3-3 configuration that reduces sleep disturbance and supports better rest for residents.
- Second, NESST Tukang Dormitory is designed to reduce the risk of transmission of infectious diseases and support migrant workers’ health.
Its key features include automated thermal scanners at gantries for timely detection of unwell residents, as well as wastewater surveillance for early health monitoring.
Together, these measures allow us to identify potential health issues early and reduce transmission risk within the dormitory.
- To further bolster pandemic readiness, the dormitory has been designed with modular and flexible spaces that can be quickly converted to support pandemic requirements if necessary.
In particular, the centralised courtyard and curb-less carpark serve as swing spaces for operational flexibility, while the adaptable multi-purpose recreation spaces can also be quickly converted into additional isolation beds.
Thought has also gone into simple but meaningful interventions like coloured walls to clearly indicate the daily routes for residents, enabling a seamless transition to safe distancing.
- Third, NESST Tukang Dormitory offers enhanced social and recreational options for all its residents.
Residents have access to a wide range of facilities, including a centralised courtyard, an open-concept gym, and cricket practice lanes.
Tukang also features green spaces for sporting activities, relaxation, and stress relief.
The plants and trees that you see here - including the Asam Gelugor tree that I will plant later and the Neem trees planted in the courtyard – are familiar to the migrant workers, and specially curated to create a home-like atmosphere.
- That being said, well-being goes beyond physical infrastructure.
With the support of community partners and employers, NESST’s mental wellness programmes and peer leadership programmes will empower residents to lead ground-up initiatives, interest groups, and community-led projects.
NESST has also worked with partners such as the Little India Shop Owners and Heritage Association (LISHA) to bring Little India food offerings and festive programming to Tukang.
The aim is to create a “home away from home” for the residents and foster a sense of community.
- Fourth, NESST Tukang Dormitory pushes the envelope in dormitory operations by piloting innovative digital technology and artificial intelligence solutions.
One key example is in NESST’s use of technology to enhance dormitory operations management, through an integrated dormitory management system, i-SMART.
The i-SMART system provides integrated security and tenant management capabilities such as facial recognition at entry gantries to enable accurate nominal roll.
The system also supports residents with a user-friendly mobile application to facilitate their day-to-day needs.
For example, it allows residents to effortlessly access dormitory services such as gantry entry and exit, and log feedback on key administration and maintenance issues.
NESST will continue to leverage technology and innovation to ensure maximum operational effectiveness and efficiency in running Tukang.
- Ultimately, we have created a living environment where residents can rest comfortably after a hard day’s work.
You may be wondering whether all these innovations and higher standards come at a premium.
I assure you that they do not.
Despite the higher cost of entering the market as a new dormitory operator and its new and innovative value proposition, NESST is able to offer bed prices below comparable dormitories that meet the new dormitory standards.
This has been achieved through careful planning and a clear focus on ensuring that the designs and innovative features are scalable at a sustainable cost.
Our philosophy is simple: to uplift living standards without raising costs beyond reach, and to demonstrate that quality housing is accessible to all.
Already, we are heartened by the positive response from employers with contracts signed with over 30 employers.
Almost all the beds have been taken up, more than 98%, and they will be occupied by mid-year.
- Let me emphasise that this is not the end point.
Raising standards is a continuous journey.
MOM will continue to review dormitory regulations, work closely with operators, and engage employers and community partners to transform and uplift the dormitory industry.
Even as we open NESST Tukang dormitory, we have also commenced the construction of MOM’s second dormitory at Sengkang West this month.
It will be three times the size of Tukang with 7,200 beds, and it is expected to begin operations by end-2028.
Together, NESST’s dormitories will be a “living lab” where MOM and NESST will work together with the private sector to pilot more innovative initiatives.
Dormitory Transition Scheme Grant
- We hope that NESST Tukang dormitory has shown that the new dormitory standards are achievable, with real impact to residents’ well-being and the resilience of our dormitory ecosystem.
However, we also recognise that existing dormitories will need time to comply with the new standards.
Hence, MOM announced the Dormitory Transition Scheme (DTS) in 2023, whereby existing dormitories will first transition to improved interim standards by 2030 before meeting the new standards fully by 2040.
- This phased approach will minimise disruption to the dormitory industry, while moving to higher standards as soon as practically possible for public health reasons.
- To support the transition to higher standards, I am happy to announce that under the DTS, MOM will introduce a grant to partially defray the costs of selected retrofitting works, such as the building of ensuite toilets and isolation facilities.
Eligible dormitory operators will receive between $3,000 and $8,800 for each type of retrofitting work completed per unit. Additionally, in order to encourage dormitories to make the transition earlier, those who complete their works by end-2028 will be eligible for a higher grant.
For instance, the grant for the installation of a room partition will be $4,200 if completed by 2028, compared to $3,000 if completed in 2029-2030.
- We expect about 900 dorms with around 200,000 beds to be eligible for the DTS grant, with the retrofitting works required by each dormitory differing based on their current design and dormitory size.
- More details will be released on the MOM website.
MOM will also be conducting briefings to eligible dormitories over the next few weeks to share the detailed requirements, application process, and support available.
Conclusion
- In closing, today’s official opening of NESST Tukang Dormitory demonstrates MOM’s commitment to transform the entire migrant worker landscape by enhancing the lived experience of migrant workers and ensuring that Singapore will be better prepared for future health crises.
However, we cannot do this alone.
Together with all our industry partners, community partners, and employers, MOM will continue in our efforts to transform the resilience and liveability of migrant worker housing.
- With that, it gives me great pleasure to officially declare NESST Tukang Dormitory open.