One of the major topics debated in Parliament yesterday was nothing short of an existential issue for Singapore - the need to build a resilient water supply system and conserve water and energy in the face of climate change.

Yet some of the environment-related questions and concerns raised by MPs reflected a society that, perhaps, still has some way to go before the instinct to care for the environment is firmly embedded in our DNA, as envisioned by Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli during the debate on his ministry's budget yesterday.