2025年1月8日，新加坡贸工部政务部长陈圣辉代表贸易部长在国会口头答复淡滨尼集选区议员朱倍庆、马西岭- 油池集选区议员苏慧敏、蒙巴顿单选区议员林谋泉关于柔新地铁系统对新加坡零售、制造业、商业租赁及就业市场的影响。
以下内容为新加坡眼根据国会英文资料翻译整理：
朱倍庆（淡滨尼集选区议员）询问副总理兼贸工部长，柔新地铁（RTS）对新加坡的零售、服务、制造业、商业租赁市场的影响评估如何？对就业市场会产生怎样的影响？
陈圣辉（贸工部政务部长代表贸工部长）：
议长先生，建议议员参考颜金勇副总理昨天（1月7日）就林谋泉议员的国会问题（第72号问题）提供的书面答复，其中也涉及了朱倍庆议员提出的问题。我愿意解答议员们就此话题的补充问题。
议长：有请苏慧敏议员
苏慧敏（马西岭-油池集选区议员）：
谢谢部长的答复，我也参考了副总理的书面回复。
虽然我们认识到地铁带来的便利，但我想借此机会强调一下我们经常从来自兀兰地区商户的担忧，尤其是我选区内的Woodgrove富春邻里中心以及888广场的商户们。
过去马来西亚旅客的到访促进了与交通网络相关的商业繁荣，两地均从中受益。然而，目前商户们担忧的是，这些好处可能仅对单方面有利。
我注意到政府相关机构已在基层为商户提供支持，协助他们改善业务。我建议贸工部从更宏观的层面进行审视，包括整体改善公共交通网络，增强吸引力。例如，提升休闲设施、提供更多小贩中心美食，以及提升整体购物体验，这些都可能吸引马来西亚旅客不仅到新加坡购物，还会考虑在马西岭、Woodgrove和兀兰地区购物，然后再前往新加坡其他地区。
因此，我希望部长能够考虑这点，与其他部门进行更全面的合作。
陈圣辉（贸工部政务部长代表贸工部长）：议长先生，我感谢苏慧敏女士的建议。政府确实会考虑这些建议。目前已有一些计划在实施。例如，新加坡企业发展局正在与邻里中心合作进行升级改造；富春邻里中心也在升级计划中。事实上，兀兰地区已有五个邻里中心在建屋发展局“再创我们的家园”计划下完成升级。
此外，我鼓励基层顾问，特别是苏慧敏议员，与我们合作，推动邻里企业利用各种计划，例如邻里企业社区营造计划、社区营造补助金，以及“新加坡邻里企业中心”提供的资源，以提升市场竞争力和营销能力。[请参阅 "贸工部政务部长的澄清"，《官方报告》，2025 年 1 月 8 日，第 95 卷，第 149 期，书面声明更正部分。］
因此，感谢苏慧敏议员的建议，并期待与她合作，共同推进相关工作。
议长：最后一个补充问题，有请林谋泉议员。
林谋泉（蒙巴顿单选区议员）：议长先生，我认为这不仅仅会影响兀兰地区的邻里商店。新柔地铁开通后，会让许多新加坡人跨境到柔佛购物，而事实上，这种情况几乎每个周末都在发生。
因此，我想问贸工部，对于不仅是邻里商户，而是整个新加坡零售行业会受到的影响，政府还有什么其他计划？毕竟柔佛的商品价格真的要便宜很多。
陈圣辉（贸工部政务部长代表贸工部长）：议长先生，我感谢林谋泉议员的补充问题。新加坡是一个地理面积小的国家，而柔佛和新加坡在某些方面具有互补优势。新加坡拥有强大的金融中心和总部经济，柔佛则拥有丰富的劳动力资源、更大的腹地和地理空间。
正如林议员提到的，这不仅限于北部地区。包括邻里改造补助金在内的许多计划，实际上适用于新加坡全国各地的邻里企业。
第二，全国范围内的邻里升级计划也在进行中，不仅局限于北部地区。政府将适时公布更多计划。除此之外，我们最近推出的社区发展理事会消费券，也旨在帮助居民补充消费需求，同时支持邻里商业发展。
因此，我们正在以全面的方式应对这一问题，并期待与议员们合作，增强企业的竞争力，不仅在北部地区，还涵盖新加坡全境。
以下是英文质询内容：
Mr Desmond Choo asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry what is the Ministry's assessment of the impact that the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will have on retail, services, manufacturing industries and the commercial rental market in Singapore; and (b) how will the job market be affected.
The Minister of State for Trade and Industry (Mr Alvin Tan) (for the Minister for Trade and Industry): Sir, I refer the Member to the written response that Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong had issued yesterday to Mr Lim Biow Chuan's Parliamentary Question (PQ), Question No 72 listed in yesterday's Order Paper, which also addressed the matters raised in the PQ filed by Mr Desmond Choo. I would be happy to address any supplementary questions Members may have on the topic.
Mr Speaker: Ms Hany Soh.
Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee): I thank the Minister of State for the reply and I have also referred to Deputy Prime Minister's reply.
While we recognise the convenience that we can envisage with the rolling out of the Rapid Transit System (RTS), I think I also want to take this opportunity to highlight the concerns that we have often heard from merchants in the Woodlands area – particularly, in my ward, it will be from Woodgrove's Fuchun Neighbourhood Centre and also the 888 Plaza.
Long gone are the days where they welcome Malaysian travellers to come and the businesses actually prospered along with the transport networks that bring benefits for both sides. But at this point in time, their concern is that it would only benefit one side.
I recognise that there are agencies that are already working on the ground to support the merchants in a way to improve their business operations. My suggestion is for the Ministry to look at it in a more macro manner, where it is also about improving the public transport networks overall, making it more attractive and also, for example, in terms of the recreation facilities and even things in relations to hawker centres – the food that we sell, the overall shopping experience that may actually attract the Malaysian travellers that come to Singapore, to also consider shopping around the Marsiling area, the Woodgrove area and also the Woodlands area to begin with, before taking the other public transports to other parts of Singapore.
So, I hope that the Minister can look into this to engage the other Ministries in a more comprehensive manner.
Mr Alvin Tan: Sir, I thank Ms Hany Soh for her suggestions. Indeed, the Government will take those into account. There are already a few existing plans: Enterprise Singapore is working with the neighbourhood centres, for example, to upgrade; and there are plans to upgrade Fuchun Neighbourhood Centre, for example. In fact, five neighbourhood centres in Woodlands have been upgraded under the Housing and Development Board's Remaking Our Heartland's programme. I also encourage the grassroots advisor, and particularly, Ms Hany Soh, to work with us to encourage the heartland enterprises to make use of many of the different schemes – heartland merchandising improvement schemes, place-making grants, and in fact, also the Heartland's Enterprise Centre Singapore – to increase their marketing ability and to increase their competitiveness. [Please refer to "Clarification by Minister of State for Trade and Industry", Official Report, 8 January 2025, Vol 95, Issue 149, Correction By Written Statement section.]
So, we thank Ms Hany Soh for her suggestions and we look forward to working with her on some of these in due time.
Mr Speaker: Last supplementary question. Mr Lim Biow Chuan.
Mr Lim Biow Chuan (Mountbatten): Sir, I do not think it is just the heartland shops in the Woodlands area that are going to be affected. The RTS will allow many Singaporeans to cross over to JB to do their shopping. As it is, that is already happening almost practically every weekend.
So, my question to the Ministry of Trade and Industry is what other plans do we have to help not just the heartlanders, but also the entire retail industry in Singapore. Because this will have a big impact on all retail industries within Singapore, as the goods in Johor are really much cheaper.
