E.W. Barker
Singapore
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." This is a simple Bill which seeks to amend section 33 of the Land Acquisition Act on the amount of compensation payable to owners of land compulsorily acquired under the Act.”
“For the five-year period from 1st July, 1981 to 30th June, 1986, the HDB demolished a total of 8,098 units. As the HDB's new accounting system was only implemented from 1st April, 1985, the Board does not have ready information on the value of flats demolished prior to 1st April, 1985. RELOCATION OF CREMATORIUMS 4.”
“The HDB did not allocate any MP's office to the previous PAP MPs for Anson and Potong Pasir constituencies. NUMBER OF H.D.B. UNITS DEMOLISHED 3.”
“I would not know. Why don't you ask them? I don't know. Sir, to put things in a nutshell, it is the legal profession amongst all the professions that help in the administration of Singapore. Doctors help to cure you of diseases.”
“I am not saying it's wrong. I am not telling you stories. I am relating. So they decided to take us on. When we went into Select Committee, the first day and the later part of the second day, there was confrontation between the Committee and the lawyers.”
“As the Member for Anson would know, the Minister for Law is not in charge of prosecutions or the conduct of any criminal proceedings in court, nor does he give any directives on these matters.”
The complete record
Every one of 2,152 lines we hold for E.W. Barker, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 14 of 44.
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as Members have rested well over the week-end, they have come back afresh. Perhaps we should have carried on until 8 o'clock on Friday, but it is not my wish to silence them. In my reply, I shall go backwards and start with the Member for Toa Payoh, who has complained about the lack of fresh beef in the markets. This is obvious because there was an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease sometime back and, as a result, we had to slaughter about 400 head of cattle. There have also been complaints why we have stopped the import of cattle. The answer is obvious: it is because of the foot-and-mouth disease. Otherwise it will spread throughout Singapore. As for the project on Batam island, we have invested nothing. It is completely an Indonesian project with Australian assistance - Australian cattle. The cattle is already there. If it is imported into Singapore, Batam island will be used as a quarantine station. In other words, if the cattle there is free of the foot-and-mouth disease it can then come straight into Singapore and not necessarily into our quarantine station in Jurong. At the moment they are still breeding the cattle on Batam island. I do not think they have enough head of cattle for export to Singapore. As for the Member for Bukit Ho Swee, he wants to know why we do not farm on the islands. There are already some farmers in Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong. But it is not easy to get the farmers from the main island to farm on the other islands around Singapore because it means transporting the products across the sea. This takes time and money. The Member for Jurong made his usual speech on the Budget. Can I deal with one point that was raised by him, and that is, the question of the lifting of quota on chickens?”
“Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made further progress on the Main and Development Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year 1st April, 1974 to 31st March, 1975, and ask leave to sit again on Monday, 25th March, 1974.”
“Sir, perhaps our people are superstitious and are reluctant to go to a park which was previously a graveyard. But then people forget. Some people are occupying Housing Board flats which are sited on previous cemeteries. The park itself is in an area which is not heavily populated and, moreover, Farrer Park is just near by. The Farrer Park field, I am glad to say, is packed everyday.”
“Sir, may I deal with the Member for Paya Lebar first? The planting of fruit trees on roads may eventually be implemented. But as a first step, fruit trees are being planted in enclosed open spaces, school grounds, some community centres and mainly in MINDEF camps, which means one cannot steal the fruits. The Parks and Recreation Division has also plans to set up a fruit orchard on an 8-acre site on reclaimed land at the East Coast Park where various types of popular local fruit trees will be grown. To the Member for Kim Keat, yes, I am aware of the water-logged condition of some parks at Toa Payoh. In fact, when I visited the Games Village during the SEAP Games or around that period, I was surprised to find that after perhaps an hour or two of rain some of the open spaces were flooded and it took some time before the water could seep through. I have already asked the Housing Board to look into it, and I will chase them again on the matter.”
“Sir, we are doing our best to give the rural areas as much as we can. It does not mean to say that Jalan Kayu is going to remain rural forever. To give him an instance, the Housing Board is now building in Woodlands. Why not Jalan Kayu? Why not Lim Chu Kang? The day will come. In other words, may I say that the rural areas will not be permanently rural.”
“Sir, may I first reply to the Member for Jalan Kayu? The fault cannot really be placed on anybody. This is part of the history of Singapore. When this town first came up, it was the central area that was developed. Hence the buildings, and the roads. And slowly development has spread from the central area. Some of the housing estates which the Member referred to were, in fact, rural areas before. Toa Payoh was one big squattered area. But now Toa Payoh has been developed and people are living there quite happily. We do our best to provide these amenities like parks, benches and schools. I do not think the rural areas have been completely left out. Under the Urban and Rural Services, most of the money goes to the rural areas because much more is needed there, and not much has to he done in the urban areas because the urban areas have already been developed. We do our best to spread around the affluence that we have.”
“At the same time, trees require regular pruning and inspection, especially those which are likely to cause obstruction to traffic or street lights. From time to time, a tree poses a hazard to life or property. But when we are aware of this, these trees are pruned, removed or replaced with smaller ones.”
“In Queenstown a sports complex costing $5 million was built and, in fact, another swimming pool complex costing more than $3 million is now under construction, in addition to the pool which has already been built. In Toa Payoh more than $10 million had been spent on the development of a park, a swimming pool complex and a running track. Another swimming complex costing more than $3 million is now under construction off Mountbatten Road to serve the residents of Mountbatten, Tanjong Rhu and Kallang. 6.45 p.m. Benches are generally provided with back rests at all public places. In a few parks like those in Bras Basah and Kampung Java, stone benches have been provided. I am told that this is a variation to blend with the landscape design. I am inclined to believe that stone benches were built in order that they could last. Wooden benches do not last as they are easily broken. Anyway, benches with back rests are being constructed in the Central Park and Labrador Park. Many people, of course, visit the parks for a stroll and relaxation for a short duration and do not really sit there for too long. But there are others who sleep on the benches. They are not bothered with the park. They want a place to rest for several hours. This is what we want to discourage. If someone sleeps on a bench for several hours, he is depriving someone else of a seat. He is taking three or four places. Hence, some benches have been built with an obstruction or hump jutting out in the middle so that if a person sleeps on it, he is going to have a crooked back. I think the Member will agree that the primary purpose of planting trees on the roadside and in other open spaces is to ensure their proper and healthy growth.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Member for Anson was thinking of his grandchildren! But let me assure him that the Parks and Recreation Division of the PWD is aware of the need to provide amenities for children in our public parks and other open spaces. There are plans to develop playgrounds at the Central Park and Kampung Java Park, and other recreational activities at the East Coast Park to attract not only children but grandfathers like the Member for Anson. However, it is not always possible to construct a playground, specially set aside for children, in every park or open space as this depends on the site, space, location, surrounding and environment. For instance, the Orchard Park opposite the Istana is too small an area to contain a children's playground. The design of this park is primarily aesthetic as well as functional for the benefit and convenience of office workers, shoppers and others, rather than children, who wish to take a rest from their daily activities. The Housing and Development Board has also provided very extensive sporting and recreational activities in its housing estates. I have said before that when the Housing Board first built flats the emphasis was on housing. But today the picture has changed. We have become more affluent and demands have changed. Before anyone moves into a Housing Board flat, he wants to know which school his children are going to, where they are going to play or swim, or what have you. In almost every neighbourhood today there are properly equipped children's playground, and badminton, basketball and sepak raga courts.”
“Sir, that is agreed. But it does not mean that we are just encouraging restaurants at the expense of canteens. If a large firm in a large building desires to put up a canteen for its workers, it will naturally have our blessing. In fact, we are encouraging firms to do so. This is the point which the Member for Telok Blangah wants me to answer. I agree with him entirely that more canteens should be provided, but we cannot force people to provide canteens. I think the duty of an employer is to provide a canteen for his workers. Perhaps the Member can persuade the employers through his trade unions to do so.”
“Sir, that is because the food in the Ministry's canteen is really good. We do not want to keep other workers out.”
“Sir, as far as we are aware, all restaurants now in operation in commercial office buildings were approved as restaurants, and I shall be grateful if the Member can let me know the specific cases where approved canteens have been turned into restaurants. The canteens or restaurants in large buildings are operated on a commercial basis. Sometimes the ownership or management of the restaurant or canteen changes hands several times because business is not as good as expected. It is difficult for us to compel the developers or owners of buildings to operate or continue to operate and maintain a canteen if there is not enough business for the canteen, resulting in heavy financial losses.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, after several hours of debate, I need your consent, and the general assent of Members, to move that the adjournment be taken at 7 p.m. today.”
“We are not rushing into the scheme. We are being very careful about it because it is quite, perhaps I can call it, a drastic measure. It will only be implemented after very, very careful consideration, and after the views of the public have been asked for and given.”
“Sir, a lot has been said from both sides of this House about our road transport system, our buses, our taxis, methods to improve the transport system and the bus system. The provision under this item is for road transport improvement schemes for which no provision has been made elsewhere in the Development Estimates. Such schemes will arise from recommendations of the Road Transport Action Committee which the Minister for Communications has had occasion to refer to during the course of this debate. Members may remember him mentioning the construction of fringe area car parks and the purchase of material and better equipment for traffic control. If I may just take one item, the fringe area car parks. This means the construction of several car parks on the outskirts of the City, where owners of cars can park their cars, jump into a bus or mini-bus and come to town, and also go back from work in the evening, take their cars and go off. This means that no cars can come into town, except with a special licence, and that we must build car parks on the outskirts, not just half a dozen but probably 15 or 16 car parks. Very few are already in existence. For instance, the car park at the National Stadium is ideal for the purpose. But elsewhere we may have to convert fields into car parks such as the one at St. George's Road, along Serangoon Road, or the golf course near Tanglin Circus which will, of course, upset our golfers. Turning a green area into a car park, a hard surface, means money, and this is part of the provision which has not been budgeted for elsewhere. I do not think I need bother the Member with further details, as the Minister for Communications has already said that before we implement the scheme, public suggestions and recommendations will be invited.”
“Sir, that is a very interesting question. A computerised area of traffic control is a control system in which a central computer plays a major role in controlling the flow of vehicular traffic, especially in the busy areas of the City. This system will reduce traffic congestion by the creation of a more efficient linking of signals, having regard to the traffic situation at any given time, and also by the diversion of traffic where space capacity is available on alternative routes. That, in short, is the system. The computerised area of traffic control system requires a very large capital outlay, probably several million dollars. Therefore, we need to undertake a feasibility study. A specialist consultant firm will be engaged for the study. That is all I have for the moment.”
“Sir, consultant firms have been invited and short-listed for the Feasibility and Engineering Study for Central Area Expressway. The successful consultant firm has yet to be selected. But the firm must be selected in consultation with the Asian Development Bank. Pending the selection of this firm, the PWD is collecting the necessary data from the various service departments. Once the firm is appointed, negotiations will be made on the financial terms of the Study, and it is anticipated that thereafter the Study can commence in a few months' time.”
“Sir, it shows that my department is flexible and we are human. Some of the Members do not think we are. It does not mean to say that all cases will be allowed. Each case really depends on its merits and on the circumstances.”
“And next is, how can we help these people to get an architect? As I have said, most architects are so busy that they are only interested in the big fish; they could not care less with these people because they cannot make much out of them.”
“But it is not pleasant or enjoyable to demolish somebody's house. 6.15 p.m. The Member for Jalan Kayu complains about the promises I have made and never kept. There are these three centres. He himself admits that, but he says they are no good. Well, at least they have been set up, and we can take it a step further by improving conditions in these centres. The procedure for application for repairs to temporary houses is quite simple really. The applicant submits an application form obtainable from the Building Control Division, together with three copies of the sketch plan and three copies of the site plan, which is obtainable from the Planning Department at a fee of $2. No prior planning permission for the repairs need be obtained. An architect's plan for a change of roof-covering is not normally required, but is required when the proposed change involves the roof trusses of a permanent building. For example, the Member referred to the case of the roof changing of an attap house to corrugated iron. What is a corrugated roof doing on an attap building? Naturally a corrugated iron roof must have an architect's plan, in case it falls on somebody's head. This is the reason. It becomes a structure of a permanent nature. It is not just a matter of changing the roof, but what it comprises. Changing from attap to zinc or zinc to attap is all right. But the moment you have corrugated iron, that is another matter altogether. Mr Hwang Soo Jin: On the last point made by the Minister, there does seem to be inconsistency between the Minister and his department. Because in one case after I had written to point out whether there was any real need to call for a plan, they agreed to waive the plan from the architect. So where do we stand?”
“Sir, perhaps I should deal with the Member for Paya Lebar first, as he quoted more serious allegations. All I want to reassure him is that we have a demolition squad whose duty is to demolish houses, not human beings. The one particular case which the Member is harping on is this. There was an incident, I think, it was on the 17th January this year, when a demolition squad comprising some 15 labourers supervised by one officer went to a house in Lorong Gambir. There was an altercation. It was alleged by the complainant that she, her husband and her niece were assaulted. These allegations have been denied by the officer and the labourers concerned. They admitted there was a scuffle. I do not propose to go into the facts here because, subsequent to the incident, a complaint was lodged at the police station. Surprisingly enough, the complainants have not gone to court. They could have taken the case by way of a private summons, but they have chosen not to do so. Instead, the Member has written to me asking for an inquiry, and this is being done. As long as the inquiry is on, I do not think I should take this matter further in Parliament if I am to be fair to the parties involved. Demolition is not a pleasant business and very few people like to work for the demolition squad because they have been assaulted many times. That is the natural reaction. If the squad moves in to demolish somebody's home, he is there to defend it, whether authorised or unauthorised. Sometimes we have the police to stand by. But people get excited and one is liable to go off the rails, as it were, if one's house is being demolished even by the Government. It is a very unpleasant matter. Strict instructions have gone out to demolition squads to be as nice as is possible.”
“Sir, the Member for Sembawang has raised the same point as the Member for Anson. I do not think I can take it much further. Trees have been planted on the side-walk. If they are a danger to pedestrians or cause an obstruction, I have said that we will remove them. That is the position. One must be blind to walk into a tree. Mr P. Govindaswamy: Sir, I beg leave to withdraw my amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The following amendment stood in the names of Messrs J. F. Conceicao and Hwang Soo Jin- (2) That the sum to be allocated for Head LH be reduced by $10 in respect of subhead BA 1109.”
“Sir, I am sorry. We will certainly consider it and make it compulsory if it is desirable. At the moment, it really depends on the type of work and on which part of the road work is being done. For instance, when white or yellow lines in the middle or along the side of the road are painted in the middle of the night, obviously these workers need luminous clothes, and this is the position at present. But if the workers pack up, say, at about 6 p.m., they do not need luminous clothes. On the other hand, there might be urgent work such as the breakdown of a pipe in the middle of the road which has to be repaired at night; then I would agree with the Member that proper clothes should be worn so that the workers can be seen. I have not seen any signs in Tanglin pointing in the wrong direction, and not even in Kim Seng. But I would be grateful if the Member can do some of my work for me.”
“Not even in Kim Seng. Otherwise there will be chaos. But there are a few cases. All I am asking the Member to do is not to turn the sign but to tell me about it. This is not a question of passing the buck. It is a question of asking the Member for his assistance and to point out where these wrongly placed signs are, and we will correct them.”
“Sir, I am not passing the buck. All I am asking the Member is for his assistance; and I did mention this earlier - we are finally responsible. But earlier on the Member complained of the holes in the roads. We are not aware surely of all the holes around Singapore. But 65 of us can point out where these holes are. All I am asking the Members is for their assistance. But I disagree with the Member that all the signs put up in Singapore face the wrong direction. An hon. Member: Not even in Kim Seng!”
“But I agree with him that sometimes these warning signs are placed too near the site where work is progressing; so that if a motorist comes along he does not have sufficient warning that work is going on. I agree that sometimes these signs should be put up, say, 100 or 200 yards away for the motorist to see before he comes to the particular obstruction, along the road.”
“If the traffic is too heavy, congestion must occur. Some of these roundabouts have been replaced by light-controlled intersections with sufficient approach lanes, which not only permit a much larger volume of traffic to flow but can be regulated to allow for pedestrian crossing. The Member for Kim Seng complained about our traffic signs, "No Entry" signs in particular, found in the wrong place or facing the wrong way and this causes accidents and confusion. There are so many signs all over Singapore. Sometimes they are put facing the right direction but turned around by some rascals. I am not saying that this is always the case, but this has happened. I would suggest to the Member that whenever he sees a sign which is not satisfactory, he brings it to the attention of my Ministry. I myself have had occasion to redirect certain signs along Havelock Road which were not facing exactly in the right direction. When there are more than four lanes or four roads, Sometimes you might even have six or seven lanes, meeting at one junction, putting up signs or lights can be difficult. Coming from one direction one might be looking at the wrong light and think one has the right of way, seeing green instead of red. This is dangerous. But wherever this occurs we do our best to redirect the traffic lights. As regards the night work which the Member referred to, I agree with him that when road workers work at night they should put on luminous uniforms. Most of them do, but not all. As for warning signs, every department that digs a road has to have warning signs telling people who is digging it, whether it is the PUB, PWD, etc.”
“The planting of trees and shrubs alongside walks provides shade and greenery and follows the policy of making Singapore a garden city. But sometimes things go wrong. The Member has referred to Robinson Road. Now there is a new bus lane along Robinson Road and we should have a place for passengers or bus commuters to wait for the bus, otherwise they will all converge on to the road. So we have a little sidewalk between the shop-house in front and the bus lane. This sidewalk does not necessarily have the same width all along that road. It depends on the width of the road and what is in front or adjacent to it. In order to provide some shade along this road for people waiting for buses, pong pong trees were planted as they do not grow to great heights. Of course, with the high-rise buildings coming up, it is only during the few hours around noon that the sun shines down. If the Member is right that the trees prove to be an obstruction, they will be removed. But the trees have already been planted, and I think it would be a waste of time and money to pull them out and replant them somewhere else. I would suggest that we leave them alone and see what the future holds. The Member also complains about the $1,000 cost which each of his constituents had to pay for roads along their houses. This is the practice when we build a road. The frontagers pay according to the length of the road along their boundaries. Recently, of course, prices have gone up and the cost of materials and labour has increased. May I point out that frontagers may pay in instalments if there are difficulties in paying the full amount outright. 5.45 p.m. I believe the Member also complained about roundabouts. Roundabouts can only handle traffic up to a certain limit.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, earlier on I had given answers to most of the points raised by the Member for Anson. Perhaps I should confine my reply to some of the specific points which he raised but not dealt with by me earlier. As I have said earlier on, the poor condition of some of our roads is generally due to the digging up of these roads for the laying of the various services to cater for our requirements. This results in uneven road surfaces which can be properly resurfaced only after time is allowed for the soil to settle. The resurfacing of North Bridge Road has now been completed, and work on Victoria Street, which the Member for Anson referred to, is now in progress. Part of Thomson Road is being widened and improved to serve a dual carriageway. Other parts of the road have been dug up for the laying of services to serve the new housing estates in that area. Once housing estates are built, the residents need services and the roads have to be dug up. Perhaps the inconvenience to motorists using Upper Thomson Road is, in fact, unavoidable. The Member for Anson has also referred to the pedestrian mall. Just before the meeting of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference in January, 1971, work was undertaken to improve Orchard Road and to provide footpaths for pedestrians, as this is an important and busy road. At that time there were no plans to construct what the Member has referred to as the pedestrian mall. However, this concept of the mall was initiated in late 1971. It serves the dual purpose of keeping the canal along Orchard Road and Stamford Road clean and pollution free as well as providing ample space over the canal for pedestrians to walk.”
“Sometimes the fill put in by the contractors is no good. So instead of a slight depression, there is a big hole. But it is the duty of the Public Works Department to only resurface the road after it has been levelled, with a hump if you like, by the contractor doing the job.”
“Sir, I was not referring to the constituency of the Member for Sembawang. I said "one constituency" and it was not his. But he seems to have the answer to the bad condition of rural roads. All they have to do is to get the MPs together, headed by the Member for Sembawang as Chairman, and some national servicemen, and they will improve all the roads in Sembawang and Jurong. We certainly encourage gotong royong, not only because it improves the roads, but it gets people together in the sense of community spirit. Hence, the word gotong royong itself. The Member for Kim Seng raised the same old question about road digging which I have answered before in Parliament. `The departments have not been oblivious to my comments in Parliament. In fact, there is a Roads Action Committee which meets from time to time. This Committee is headed by the Director of the Public Works Department, and its business is to co-ordinate road digging, so that everybody concerned digs at the same time. But sometimes it is not possible, and they come in a few months later. The position now is that once a road has been dug and resurfaced, no one can dig that road again without the permission of the Director of the Public Works Department. But sometimes this happens and they ask. "What happens if a water-main bursts, or an electric cable bursts?" I say, "Get permission." Unless we are strict with them, everybody thinks the road belongs to them and they dig it as and when they please. But there is this Roads Action Committee and it has done some good work, though we still have some trouble. Another nuisance, of course, is that when a road is dug and levelled again, there must obviously be a hump. Otherwise it collapses and there is a little trench, and this takes time to level up.”
“Sir, it really depends on who the contractor is. Sometimes the work is done by a unit within the Department itself. The PWD goes around repairing roads too. But when new roads are being built, sometimes by a contractor and sometimes by a housing developer, there is a guarantee that the road will last for at least a year, not six months. I remember the case in Sixth Avenue. One-third of the road was built by the private developer through a contractor, and the other two-thirds by the PWD. The one-third built by the private developer was always collapsing. It is strange because one-third of the road was always full of holes and the other two-thirds were all right. So I asked for a reason, and the reply was that the PWD built two-thirds and the private developer one-third. Finally we completed that road and charged the private developer $54,000. So that was that.”
“Sir, I do not think it is a question of supervision alone. Perhaps the Member for Jalan Kayu came to that conclusion when I asked Members for assistance. They live in different parts of Singapore, and all I ask of them is their help. I agree that the surfaces of some of our roads have deteriorated, and in the case of the complaint of the Member for Jalan Kayu, the culvert collapsed, hence the road collapsed. Whether it was a faulty construction, I do not know. But I need their help and also their help to get more money from the Minister for Finance. It is the Roads Department that does not always get what it asks for. It is usually $1 million short. So the Department does its best with the money available. But I am not putting the blame on the Minister for Finance. The job is ours. Frankly, we could do much more with more money.”
“I would suggest to them that whenever they travel, not necessarily in their own constituency, if they see a big pot-hole, they can drop my Parliamentary Secretary a note giving the exact site and the name of the road, and I assure them that their complaint will be attended to. The Member for Jalan Kayu has referred to a road that had completely collapsed. It is being attended to, and it will take some time to complete it. I myself have passed that road and 1 was a bit annoyed to have to be diverted. But it is not just roads in the rural areas that have been neglected. I was astounded on one occasion by the number of holes I saw along Jurong Road which, in fact, constituted a danger to traffic. However, we seek your assistance: tell us where the bad defects are and I assure you that repairs will immediately be done.”
“Perhaps I should join in the chorus, Sir. The poor condition of road surfaces is generally due to the following factors. The frequent opening up of roads for the laying of services by the various service departments, water, gas, electricity, the Singapore Telephone Board and others, thus undermining the stability of the roads; spillage of fuel oil from vehicles, especially public buses, thus causing deterioration of the road surfaces; a high density of traffic nowadays subjecting the roads to very severe stresses and abrasive actions. For heavily used roads with high density traffic, it is necessary to resurface the roads with a new coat of bituminous premix once in every five years to maintain a good riding surface. The PWD itself has a yearly programme for the resurfacing of roads. However, owing to the limited funds allocated, the amount of resurfacing work that can be done cannot cover all the roads that normally require resurfacing. Consequently, only the very bad roads are given priority in the programme. But there are certain roads under this priority scheme which even the PWD cannot resurface, because a service department may have notified the PWD that it is about to dig up that road in a few months, and therefore it would be a waste of time and costs. May I ask all Members of Parliament to help in this way? They represent 65 constituencies and they can help by telling me which roads have defects and where. It is not possible for me to go round the whole of Singapore. But I do, on occasions, see holes on the road or part of a road that has collapsed, and on my complaint these are attended to immediately. Members of Parliament represent the whole of Singapore.”
“Sir, the Member need not have any fears in that respect. Wherever it is found advisable, we tear down old standard type one-room flats to make way for better type of development. This will go on with the years.”
“There were no shortcomings. It was not the intention to build 30,000 units overnight or over a year. It is not easy to raise our target from 20,000 to 30,000 units in one year. We can do it over several years, and the target is to do it over five years with the ultimate object of building 40,000 units per year. But it is going to take time. It means more architects, more land, more building construction workers, more materials. Once again, I have to tell Members the same thing: it is not like producing motorcars.”
“Sir, it is easier to detect unauthorised structures on State land. If they are put up and allowed to remain, it is only because of the condition that when they are required to vacate the State land, they will not be paid compensation. It is more difficult with cases of unauthorised structures on private property. Sometimes where the project is an urgent one, the department feels that perhaps a little compensation would give them quicker vacant possession. But if this has happened in many a case, I will certainly look into the allegations made by the Member for Kim Keat.”
“Sir, I have already set out the reasons why we cannot provide them with alternative accommodation. But there are other ways in which they can find accommodation, and I have mentioned that they can rent BECD properties or, if they wish, they can be sub-tenants of HDB premises. But taking it a step further, is the Member suggesting that unless we provide such accommodation the redevelopment of Geylang Serai must cease?”
“The first phase of development at the Jalan Eunos estate bounded by Paya Lebar Way, Jalan Eunos, the extension of Sims Avenue and Paya Lebar Road, falls partly within the Kampung Ubi Constituency and partly within the Kampung Kembangan Constituency. Resettlement of the affected residents is now in progress. Construction will commence in about three months' time after all the affected buildings have been cleared from the site. The Housing and Development Board proposes to build the following flats within the first phase of development: about 700 two-room flats; 1,350 three-room flats; 550 four-room flats and 380 five-room flats, at a total estimated cost of $50.5 million. Encik Rahmat Bin Kenap(In Malay): Sir, I did not mean to ask about those who applied for HDB flats. I was referring to those people with blue identity cards whose houses are affected by the redevelopment project. These people own the houses they live in. They have no alternative accommodation. Where can they go? Do they have to live on rafts? These people are permanent residents holding blue identity cards. If the Government shirks its responsibility, why must it give blue identity cards to permanent citizens? Their houses are affected by the redevelopment project. This does not mean that they want to apply for HDB flats. Therefore, on humanitarian grounds the Government should think of giving them alternative accommodation.”
“Sir, if I may first deal with the Member for Potong Pasir with his request for information on pre-fabricated houses. Work will start sometime this year, but it will take at least a year or more before the first flats come up. 4.15 p.m. Sir, may I remind the Member for Geylang Serai that there are certain advantages in being a Singapore citizen. One advantage is that a citizen is entitled to low-cost accommodation. There is such a long list of applicants, more than 80,000 wanting to purchase flats and about 25,000 wanting to rent. Last year we built about 23,000 units. So obviously our capacity to build is not adequate enough to meet all demands. It is for this good reason that we are unable to provide accommodation for those who are not our citizens. Citizens come first. However, to relieve the hardship of certain deserving cases, the Housing and Development Board has allocated BECD or British reverted quarters at economic rentals to permanent residents. More recently, Housing Board flat owners have been permitted to sublet one or two rooms to permanent residents who are eligible as sub-tenants, so that those with blue identity cards are not exactly homeless. The Member also complains that not one of the MPs for Geylang Serai, Kampung Kembangan and Kampung Ubi has been consulted on resettlement. In the past I have on many occasions seen all three MPs to try and help iron out some of the problems in the Perseverance Estate. The MP himself is well aware, having been in this House, of Government's acquisition of large tracts of land in the estate.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, this is the same suggestion, and I have said that it interferes with the business of the private developers. If planning approval is going to be made subject to the cost of the buildings, are we to go further and say that a developer should sell his buildings at a certain price, and allow him to make only 5 or 10 per cent profit? We might not have any private developers around. But if it is a situation where we want to control the amount of development, then we could go into the question of costs. In fact, a Statistical Unit is being set up by my Ministry, with the help of the Deputy Prime Minister, to computerise not only the various components of our building capacity but also to give details at any time of the building construction industry. From the information gathered we can regulate our planning approvals on a much better basis. But certainly it is not to be done with the object that the Member has in mind.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not think it is a question of legislation. The Housing and Development Board is building more houses for the lower income group. Moreover, Members have heard me just now stating the sites where the middle income housing is coming up. But if the Member is suggesting that we interfere with the private developers and restrain them from selling to whom they like and at what price, then I would say that such a move would be highly inadvisable. We had some limitations placed on land speculation last year, which were announced in the policy decision of the Government and is to be followed by legislation, but not in the manner suggested by the Member. Mr P. Govindaswamy: Mr Speaker, Sir, regarding the price ceiling, the Planning Department has some power to deal with this matter. For example, before approving the plan, the Planning Department can find out how much the building will cost and how much the developers are going to sell it. The Planning Department can investigate on all these matters and put a ceiling on the selling price in relation to cost. The Planning Department has the power to approve any project. If the Planning Department turns down a project, a developer cannot put up any building. Therefore, developers must keep proper records of a building project, how much it costs and so on, and only then will the Planning Department consider it for approval. I do not know whether the Minister will consider my suggestion and take action on it.”
“There have even been cases where owners were ordered to repaint their houses. This has led to many representations from Members of Parliament saying that the prices of paint have gone up considerably and that their constituents cannot afford to paint their houses.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, private housing developers are at liberty to sell their houses to whom they like, whether relatives, friends or members of the public. They are not even obliged to advertise their housing development; they can sell their houses by private negotiations. Some people merely register their intention to buy many houses, of course hoping that prices will go up and then resell. Is it advisable that we should stop this practice? Intending purchasers are subject to the market forces of supply and demand as in any other commodities, and control of prices of houses cannot be a good measure. What we can do is to encourage the construction of more residential units by giving incentives, such as higher densities and exemption of certain development charges. The Member's suggestion to have legislation enacted to deal with this matter is certainly not going to encourage the construction of housing units. In fact, it would be unwise for Government to interfere with the free enterprise system. If such control is attempted, houses are likely to be sold in the black market, making it even more difficult for members of the public to buy houses in the open market. It is also likely that private housing developers will build less residential units if they are subject to such control. As regards old houses, I take it that the Member is referring to houses which are under rent control. The owners, of course, are anxious to evict their tenants, sub-tenants and other occupiers and, therefore, would not repair the premises. Sometimes the premises are repaired by those in occupation, and sometimes we call the owners in and order them to repair their houses. In some cases we acquire land on which such houses are situated.”
“I am sorry I did not touch on that point. Let me assure all Members here that requests from Members of Parliament, on behalf of their constituents for extensions of time, are dealt with by my Ministry very sympathetically. We do not distinguish between Ministers, Ministers of State, or Backbenchers. If I had personally refused the Member's request for an extension of time, I would never have given blessing to a similar request made by a Minister, unless it was a mistake. One can never justify granting an extension of time when a Minister makes the request, after having turned down a similar request from a Backbencher.”
“The Loyang Boom Defence Depot with its pier, slipway, warehouse and machine shop, equipment and buildings, provided the necessary facilities for the establishment of an offshore support base for oil drilling operations in South-east Asia. Various facilities at the air-bases at Seletar and Changi have been utilised in connection with the development of the aerospace industry. And, as the Member will know, Sentosa itself is being developed by the Sentosa Development Corporation into a tourist resort. The long-term planning proceeded simultaneously. Plans for the redevelopment of the entire areas to fit in with the overall Master Plan for the island were prepared by the Planning Department in consultation with the Bases Economic Conversion Department. These long-term plans are being continually reviewed, revised and implemented in accordance with the overall timetable for the redevelopment of the areas. Thus former Defence lands which fall within the general areas of Telok Blangah, Woodlands, Ang Mo Kio and Changi Village, are being integrated with adjoining State land, or private land which has been acquired to enable comprehensive redevelopment. The Changi and Telok Blangah redevelopment schemes are underway, and proposals for the necessary land acquisition to implement the Woodlands and Ang Mo Kio New Town development are being undertaken. The Senoko area of the Naval Base has been levelled off by the Jurong Town Corporation for redevelopment as an industrial area. Seventeen acres of land at the Naval Base are being developed by the JTC to provide about 660 units of housing. Perhaps I have given the Member sufficient information.”
“Enforcement action, of course, had to be vigorously pursued in this area, which would otherwise have become a centre for illegal workshops and factories. Enforcement officers have the unpleasant task of ensuring that policy objectives are successfully implemented and not frustrated by violations of conditions of temporary occupation licences. Only limited discretionary power is allowed to Senior Enforcement Officers in regard to minor infringement for the period of time that could be granted to carry out demolition. The Member for Kim Keat wants to know details of the work done by the Bases Economic Conversion Department. The planning work involves both short-term and long-term planning. Short-term planning has, as the main objective, the evaluation of claims and the allocation of facilities handed back to the Singapore Government to ensure optimum utilisation of land and buildings. In the case of vacant land or land used for farming purposes, the immediate objective was to prevent encroachment. Wherever possible, such facilities were converted to commercial or industrial uses. Thus, the Naval Dockyard which was transferred to the ownership of the Singapore Government on 1st December, 1968, was converted to commercial use, and the Sembawang Shipyard (Pte.) Ltd, has now developed into a major thriving ship-repair yard. Similarly, the weapons and radio repair facilities of the Naval Dockyard were converted into an international service centre, and the Singapore Electronic and Engineering (Pte.) Ltd., wholly-owned by the Singapore Government, was formed to operate the facility.”
“Sir, the Bases Economic Conversion Department was formed in 1968 and it was under the portfolio of the Prime Minister. But the Department has since the 1st April, 1973, been functioning as a division of the Land Office in the Ministry of Law. I hope it is not being suggested that civil servants in the Department were previously inflexible and that since coming to the Land Office things have changed. But the policy is the same and, since 1972, the Department has handled a total of 149 enforcement cases which have been the subject of representations by Members of Parliament. Of these, 100 cases were dealt with departmentally - 35 representations from Members of Parliament for extension of time to permit voluntary demolition were all approved, and 65 cases, 18 of which involved minor alterations and contraventions, which did not violate the planning or building by-laws were regularised. The remaining 49 cases were rejected. The policy appears to me to be flexible. Seven appeals against decisions of the Land Office were dealt with by the Licensing Committee which authorised regularisation in four cases and rejected the other three. Of the 42 appeals made to me, 38 have to be rejected, three have been regularised, and one case is still being processed. It is significant that out of these 149 cases, 77 cases were from the Chia Keng and Simbang areas. Simbang is a catchment area, and most of the appeals that were turned down concerned unauthorised structures, mainly pigsties, within the immediate vicinity of the catchment areas, thus adding to pollution problems. At Chia Keng, most of the appeals encountered concerned illegal motor workshops or illegal and unsightly dumping of junk on State land.”
“I am glad that Members have clarified the air, as it were. Perhaps I can close the discussion on this particular item by reminding those Members from the rural areas of the time they ran around just before the last election, when the prices of pigs went below $50, and put considerable pressure on my Ministry as to what we would do and could do to help the pig farmers. Now, the price of pigs has gone up. All I say is, who are the Members who represent the consumers here?”