Teh Cheang Wan
Singapore
“The Board does not propose to reinstitute the procedure for the resale of flats at the respective Area Offices in Ang Mo Kio New Town. As a pilot project, the Board has centralised the resale of Ang Mo Kio flats at Sales Section, Maxwell Road.”
“At the contract price or whatever it is, and this is due to the mistake made by the HDB, the HDB has been quite generous. If the mistake made by the HDB staff has been to sell the flat at lower than the posted price, then the owner has the benefit of this mistake.”
“The Member for Potong Pasir is asking a question which I have to check for an answer. I do not carry with me the millions of accounts of HDB flat-owners with me. So I cannot give him an immediate answer. But I can assure the Member for Potong Pasir that those people will be refunded.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since the announcement by HDB on 4th July 1986, 49 HUDC lessees appealed to the Board to buy their flats. All were unsuccessful. As at 20th September 1986, 27 HUDC flat owners had sold their flats in the open market. Twelve of them sold their flats above their original purchase prices.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since the implementation of the policy, HDB has resold 13 HUDC flats from among those flats HDB bought back from the HUDC owners. In addition, HDB has sold 44 new HUDC flats. The slow sale of HUDC flats is due mainly to the depressed property market.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have no figures readily available as to how many of these 49 HUDC flat-owners who requested the Board to buy back the flats have committed themselves to buying other property.”
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“In June 1975 the decision was made to develop Changi Airport and work started almost immediately after that. By the third quarter of 1975 contracts had been awarded for the Passenger Terminal Building and the first runway. Reclamation work for the airport commenced in March 1976. In October 1976 the contract for the Benjamin Sheares Bridge was awarded. Another big project, the building of the Singapore General Hospital, started in late 1975. The development of Kent Ridge campus commenced earlier when the Phase I contract was awarded in late 1973. This was followed by Phase 2 contract in early 1978. Similarly, the development of Singapore Polytechnic campus began in late 1974 and finished in 1978. During the same period the HDB also accelerated its building programme. The number of HDB flats completed in the five years from 1975 to 1979 increased to a record of 146,000 units in five years. This is the highest record ever achieved by the HDB. It has enabled the HDB to bring down the waiting list from 104,669 in 1973 to 59,303 in 1978. So you can see the volume of the HDB programme. The big projects which I mentioned each took four to six years to complete. Kent Ridge campus took even longer and they are still building. Towards the tail-end of the construction of these projects, there was a -clash with the growing building boom. This has probably given the Member .for Whampoa the mistaken impression that the public sector projects were badly timed. In fact, they were very well timed but unfortunately there was overlapping.”
“Sir, before I answer the various Members' points raised on HDB, I would like to reply to the hon. Member for Whampoa (unfortunately he just left a bit earlier) on his criticisms of my Ministry on the building industry and the property market during the Budget debate last week. During the debate on the Budget last week, the hon. Member for Whampoa spoke about the lack of control by the Government in regulating the volume of the construction work. He appeared to have held a simplistic view that the rise in property prices was largely due to what the Government had done or had not done. In fact, this type of view is shared by many people, not just by the Member for Whampoa. [The Member for Whampoa just took his seat.] The Government is conscious of the limitations of the building industry and has tried its best to regulate the volume of construction work to match the capacity. However, in a system of free enterprise such as ours, it is impossible to exercise complete regulation. Even in a country with centrally planned economies, like Poland for example, where the State has full powers, complete control of economy is an elusive goal. 6.45 p.m. The property market and the building industry in Singapore follow a cyclic pattern. Between 1970 and 1973 there was a building boom. The boom collapsed in 1974 as a result of the first oil crisis and the consequent world-wide recession. A construction slump set in and lasted until the first half of 1979. From the second half of 1979 construction activity began to pick up with the recovery of property prices and reached its peak in the middle of last year. During the long slump between 1974 and 1979 the Government launched several huge public projects.”
“Sir, I think HDB at present is reviewing the letting of shops, including the period of tenancy. I will ask the HDB to look into the suggestion proposed by the hon. Member for Rochore. The point I want to make is that although the shops in an HDB estate are on a monthly tenancy, the HDB does not actually terminate the tenancy unless the shopkeeper has committed a breach in the tenancy agreement.”
“But the system of the HDB's distribution of shops for services is something like this. We know that in a HDB town centre or neighbourhood we need various types of trades, ranging from those who are able to pay very high rentals like, for example, the branch of a bank or the POSB, down to those who cannot afford to pay very high rental, for example, the barbers or the tailors. So in the HDB tendering system, it is not the barber, the tailor or the hairdresser competing with the banks. If the barber has to compete in the public tender for a shop with the bank, then the barber has no chance. But there are in the HDB tender system various units of shops set aside for the hairdresser, barber and the tailor. They will compete among themselves. In other words, if we say this premises is to be a tailor shop or a barber shop, it means that all those barbers or tailors compete for this shop and the one who offers the highest rental will get it. So they compete among themselves. We also set aside shop premises for the banks and the competition will be among the banks. Quite often the Singapore Turf Club offers the highest rental, they even beat the banks, and so they get the premises. In almost all the HDB new towns, in the shopping centres and neighbourhood centres, there are various types of shops providing various types of services. So those people who are affected by the urban renewal are offered alternative accommodation in the new towns under the resettlement policy or under the public tender system.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I would only like to reply to the Member for Rochore's points. On the dislocation of shopkeepers which the Member has raised in this House, at present under the HDB policy, the affected shopkeepers are given three choices. One is that the small shop-keepers who, for various reasons, either shortage of capital, old age or other things, would like to give up the business, they will be paid a cash grant. For those tradesmen who want to carry on with the business, they will have the choice of either accepting alternative accommodation in the shopping centres in the city area built either by the URA or by the HDB, or alternatively they can have a shop in an HDB estate. For those in the urban areas, as the Member for Rochore has quite rightly pointed out just now, the URA has made a study and it tries to group the various trades into centres, for example, the Waterloo Centre is for motor-car spare parts. Bras Basah Complex is a centre for book shops. So shopkeepers who are resettlement cases will be allocated shops in accordance with the resettlement policy which means that they will be able to get rental concession for five years. In the first year, they need to pay only 50% of the rental. They only pay the full rental on the sixth year as the rental is graduated at the rate of 10% per year. Those in the service trades usually like to move to the new HDB estates because the population has moved to the HDB estates. Here again, if they are resettlement cases, they will have a choice of getting shops in the new HDB estates at concessionary rentals. 5.30 p.m. For those doctors who want to start a clinic, which the hon. Member for Rochore has mentioned, they may find the rentals too high.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, Serangoon North Estate, bounded by Yio Chu Kang Road, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and Jalan Hwi Yoh, will be dev,eloped for public and middle-income housing. The supporting facilities to be provided will consist of a Neighbourhood centre, a primary school, a Neighbourhood park and a football field. Jogging tracks and children's playgrounds will also be provided. A site will be reserved for a community centre. When completed, the Estate will have about 3,300 units of public housing comprising a mix of 3-room, 4-room, 5-room and executive flats. In addition, there will be 500 units of middle-income HUDC housing for allocation to applicants of HUDC flats. The first tender is scheduled to be called in March 1982. The dwelling units and ancillary facilities are expected to be completed progressively between 1984 and 1986. PEDESTRIAN OVERHEAD BRIDGES AT UPPER SERANGOON ROAD AND TAMPINES WAY 10. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for National Development when the pedestrian overhead bridges will be constructed in front of Block 23, Upper Serangoon Road, and between Blocks 2 and 19, Tampines Way.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the area bounded by Sims Avenue, Aljunied Road, Aljunied Way and Paya Lebar Road will be comprehensively re-developed for public housing and commercial and industrial uses. Ancillary facilities, such as schools and playgrounds, will also be built. To date, the HDB has completed 300 units of 4- and 5-room flats in the area. Another 680 units of 3-, 4- and 5-room flats are also under construction. They will be completed in the 4th quarter of 1982. The HDB plans to build an additional 500 units of 4-room flats by 1985. There are 621 cases under clearance in the area bounded by Sims Avenue, Aljunied Road, Aljunied Way and Paya Lebar Road. They consist of 230 families, 112 single persons, 125 shops, industries and offices, 145 absentee house owners and nine other categories. The Resettlement Department will clear the cases in stages according to development schedules. Resettlement is targetted for completion by 1983. DEVELOPMENT OF SERANGOON NORTH ESTATE (Particulars) 9. Dr Lau Teik Soon asked the Minister for National Development when the Housing and Development Board will commence development of Serangoon North Estate; when it will be completed; how many and what types of units will be constructed; and what educational, recreational and other facilities will be available in the Estate.”
“On the views, yes, The HDB has asked the sitting tenants whether they wish to buy the flats in which they are now staying. We have stated the prices. We have conducted a survey, and since the overwhelming majority opted for it, that is, the sitting tenants wished to purchase their flats, then the HDB offered the flats for sale. DEVELOPMENT OF AREA BOUNDED BY SIMS AVENUE, ALJUNIED ROAD, ALJUNIED WAY AND PAYA LEBAR ROAD (Particulars) 8. Encik Othman bin Haron Eusofe asked the Minister for National Development (a) if he will elaborate on the Housing and Development Board's development in the area bounded by Sims Avenue, Aijunied Road, Aljunied Way and Paya Lebar Road; how many flats will be built and when the development will be completed; and (b) what is the total number of families and persons to be resettled to make way for the development; and when the resettlement action will be completed.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as regards the first supplementary question of the Member for Anson, I have already given an answer. I do not consider it necessary to refer the matter to the Cabinet because these two housing schemes are entirely different and the only person who is confused about the scheme is the Member for Anson. As regards his second supplementary question on whether a census has been taken on the sale of flats, the answer is yes. The HDB has taken a census.”
“To help those who do not have sufficient balances in their CPF accounts or who are self-employed, the Board waives the 20% down-payment for sitting tenants. On the other hand, sitting tenants who have done well and whose incomes have exceeded the eligibility ceiling are also permitted to buy their flats, as income ceiling is waived under the Scheme. From the HDB's experience since 1968, the overwhelming majority of sitting tenants know the Scheme is fair. There is, therefore, no justification to revise the present policy which is sound and hence widely accepted.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in making the comparison as contained in the question, the Member for Anson appears confused that the Ministry of Finance and the Housing and Development Board are administering the same housing scheme, when in fact they are totally different schemes. Neither the Ministry of Finance nor the HDB is changing the rules for their respective housing schemes. The re-sale of vacant flats at Neptune Court and Lagoon View to public officers at low prices is consistent with the Government's policy of offering cheap staff housing as an incentive for civil servants to remain in the service. Civil servants who buy these flats have to serve Government for at least 10 years. Since 1978, 30 flats in Neptune Court and Lagoon View have been returned to Government from those who did not serve out the 10-year period. These were resold to other civil servants at the original prices. In view of the Member for Anson's question, the Ministry of Finance may review the resale price in future. There is no reason for the HDB to discriminate in favour of sitting tenants who wish to buy over their flats as against other public applicants, by according the sitting tenants lower selling prices. Since 1968, the HDB has been selling flats to sitting tenants and other applicants, including resettlement cases, at uniform prices. This is a fair policy as everybody is treated equally. 20,345 units of flats have been sold on this basis under the Sale of Flats to Sitting Tenants Scheme. The very small number of flats not taken up by sitting tenants have been sold to other public applicants and resettlement cases at the same prices paid by sitting tenants. Nevertheless, to help as many sitting tenants as possible to buy over their flats, the HDB grants several concessions under the Scheme.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Housing and Development Board plans to provide about 7,000 dwelling units in Bishan (formerly known as Kampong San Teng) in the Thomson Constituency. The flats are expected to be completed between 1984 and 1988. The flats will range from 3-room types to Executive Apartments. The exact number of each type of flat has yet to be finalized. SALE OF OCCUPIED HDB FLATS AT CURRENT MARKET PRICES 7. Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for National Development whether, in view of the decision of the Ministry of Finance to offer for re-sale flats in Neptune Court and Lagoon View at their original cost prices, his Ministry will refer the decision of the Housing and Development Board to sell occupied flats at current market prices, departing from the policy of the Ministry of Finance, to the Cabinet for a policy ruling whether the Board's decision is the right one.”
“Yes, maybe he has not read it. The building material used for HDB flats cannot be burned, and therefore the question of the spread of fire in HDB flats does not arise. HDB flats are the safest buildings in Singapore. This is not based on rumour. It is based on the fact that HDB have been building flats for almost 22 years now and 70% of the population are living in HDB flats. If the hon. Member cares to check the records, he will find the number of fires that have occurred in HDB flats and the number of lives that have been lost in HDB flats, and I am sure he will come to the conclusion that HDB flats are the safest flats in Singapore. It is the safest building in Singapore. I am going to extend my answer to say that the office of the hon. Member, which is in Colombo Court, was also built by the HDB. In comparing the offices in Colombo Coun with HDB flats, I think HDB flats are very much safer than Colombo Court. I can assure HDB residents that they do not have to worry. But if the hon. Member is worried about a fire outbreak, I suggest that he move out of Colombo Court.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, since the question touches on HDB, may I say that there is a Question for Wrinen Answer on this subject, and I have already given my written answer to the hon. Member. An hon. Member: He has not read it.”
“465 - 480) Annex - THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES REVIEW COMMITTEE, SALARY PROGRESSION OF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS ON NEW SCALE, NEW SALARY SCALES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE, NEW SALARY SCALES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, NEW SALARY SCALES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE (FOREIGN) AND FOREIGN SERVICE (Cols. 481 - 492)”
“The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has been exempted since 1960 from submitting building plans to the Building Control Division. This, however, does not mean that HDB's buildings do not comply with fire safety requirements for highrise dwelling units. The HDB buildings are designed according to different stringent fire safety standards. For example, the layout of lobbies and staircases allows smoke to disperse quickly. Design features together with the use of non-combustible building materials prevent the spread of fire from one flat to another. In addition, the HDB exercises strict control over renovations and alterations to flats. Good design and construction, stringent management regulations and their effective enforcement together with regular maintenance of the premises combine to make HDB buildings among the safest in Singapore. Despite the large number of HDB flats to house 70% of the total population, the outbreak of fire in HDB buildings has been extremely rare. In every case, the fire has been confined to the unit itself. The main causes of fire outbreak are traced to use of faulty gas appliances, unauthorised electrical extension, storage of combustible materials in the flat or carelessness, such as throwing lighted cigarette butts out of the window into the flat below. Where the fire is caused through carelessness or misuse by the flat dwellers, they are responsible for the cost of repairs. Where the cause of fire cannot be traced, the HDB will bear the expenses for restoring the flat to its original condition. OPINION, Appendix to Oral Answer to Question No. 1 (Cols.”
“Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for National Development whether he will confirm that flats built by the Housing and Development Board do not have the fire safety requirements imposed by building laws in the construction of high-rise apartments for dwelling purposes and, if so, whether there is any good and just reason for exposing dwellers in HDB flats to the serious risk of injury in the event of any fire breaking out and further whether the Board accepts liability for any injury or damage so resulting.”
“The Muslim MPs and the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) have appealed to me on several occasions to preserve the Alkaff Mosque. However, I have not been able to accede to the request as the Alkaff Mosque is affected by the comprehensive redevelopment of the Kaki Bukit area. For the last two decades, the Government has been undertaking extensive redevelopment and renewal programmes. Religious institutions and places of worship including mosques, churches and temples affected by public redevelopment schemes are demolished together with all other structures in the areas concerned. Similarly, the Alkaff Mosque has to be demolished with other structures as the Kaki Bukit area undergoes comprehensive redevelopment. At present, 70% of the population of Singapore live in HDB new towns and estates. More people will be moving into new towns as redevelopment proceeds. Places of worship and other essential social amenities have to be relocated to the population centres they serve. Consequently, within the new towns, land is set aside for the building of mosques, churches and temples. As the facilities in new towns are all properly planned, the new mosques built, like the new residential buildings, are better than the old ones which they replace. After several discussions with the Muslim MPs and MUIS, my Ministry has agreed to allocate a site for the construction of a new mosque to replace the Alkaff Mosque. This site is at the junction of Bedok North Road and Bedok Reservoir Road. HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD FLATS (FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS) 5. Mr J.B.”
“Under the existing provision, action could be taken against the owner or occupier but not both. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Teh Cheang Wan]. Bill considered in Committee. 7.41 p.m. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Clause 1 -”
“An example of such a case would be when ancillary shops or other non-residential uses of commercial value are to be allowed within a residential development on Residential Zone land. Another example is when the commercial or office areas are to be allowed to exceed the level prescribed in the Master Plan for industrial or warehouse developments in Industrial or Warehouse Zones. Without such flexibility in the planning process, the proposed developments would not be permissible. The amendment to section 28 is to empower the Minister to make rules to provide for the payment of a small deposit for early determination of the development charge and initiation of the rezoning process. This is to ensure that the applicant is serious about proceeding with the project. The deposit will form part of the development charge if the project proceeds but will be forfeited if the applicant subsequently abandons the proposal, making the rezoning exercise an abortive one. The amendment to section 32 empowers the Minister to make rules to provide for the refund, wholly or in part, of the development charge paid by any person under certain circumstances and to prescribe, by notification in the Gazette, the rate of interest for development charges which are paid by instalments. Under the existing Act, the rate of interest, which is fixed at 6% per annum, does not reflect the present cost of funds. The Bill also seeks to provide enhanced penalties for contravention of the provisions of the Planning Act. The procedure for serving of enforcement notice is also amended to enable the Competent Authority to serve notices on owners of land or the occupier or the person responsible for any contravention of the Act or all of them.”
“During the review the Competent Authority may find it necessary to rezone certain areas for more intensive uses, although no applications for such development have yet been received. This would confer a windfall in land appreciation on the land owners unless the Government is able eventually to tax part of the appreciation in the form of development charge. The land owners would be required to pay the development charge only if they subsequently submit applications to develop the land in accordance with the new Master Plan zones. The proposed section 29 (1) (e) enables development charge to be collected on a modification of the planning permission in respect of an existing development, if such modification permits additional plot ratio or floor area resulting in an appreciation in land value. For example, in the case of a site that has been altered from residential to commercial zone for a development at, say, a plot ratio of 2.5, development charge would have been collected up to the approved plot ratio of 2.5. If the developer subsequently proposes additional floor areas which would bring the plot ratio up to, say, 2.8, additional development charge for the floor areas represented by the further increase in plot ratio of 0.3 would be payable. This is equitable since if the developer had proposed a plot ratio of 2.8 in the first instance, he would also have paid development charge up to this amount. The proposed section 29 (1) (o is to levy development charge for approved development which is not in conformity with the Master Plan when planning permission is granted but does not require a formal alteration to the Master Plan.”
“metres. Developers or owners will be allowed to indicate, within two years of building plan approval, the areas to be designated under the 30% floor area to be held under one title. Even areas not contiguous to one another can be included under the required 30% floor space for retention under one title. The Amendment Bill also seeks to empower the Competent Authority to defer consideration of an application for planning permission to develop land if, as a result of unavoidable circumstances, the decision on the application cannot be made within the specified period. There are occasions when the Competent Authority is unable to make a definite decision on a planning application because the area concerned is still under study to optimize its development. In such cases the authority concerned will speed up its studies to facilitate an early decision. The Competent Authority will also be empowered to grant planning permission for a limited period only. This is necessary in certain cases where permanent permission cannot be granted. For example, temporary permission is necessary for numerous change of use cases where it is not appropriate to grant permanent permission in view of the type of structures for the proposed use, the nature of usage and future developments affecting the areas concerned. The existing section 29 of the Act enables the Government to levy a development charge on any appreciation in the value of any land arising from an alteration to the Master Plan made at the request of the developer. The proposed new section 29 (1) (d) is to enable development charges to be collected for alterations to the Master Plan made by the Competent Authority at its five-yearly review of the Master Plan.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." There has been no comprehensive revision of the Planning Act since it first came into force in February 1960. A thorough review of the Act has, therefore, been carried out to weed out obsolete provisions and to update requirements and procedures so as to facilitate and control physical development in Singapore. The Amendment Bill is intended to clarify ambiguities in the existing Act and to streamline planning practices to cater for our rapid pace of development. A major amendment is to empower the Competent Authority to require developers to retain at least 30% of the floor area of any development project under a single owner for a period of 10 years from the date of the latest grant of a temporary occupation licence. During the 10 years, developers will only be allowed to sell this portion en bloc: to a single buyer so that there will be a substantial owner to ensure the proper maintenance and management of the building. This requirement is not expected to cause any hardship to developers but will assist in upgrading the standard of building maintenance. This is not a new requirement as the URA has imposed it as a condition for its sale of land for commercial development. The condition will be applied to large commercial buildings, which are those with total office and shopping floor areas of 5,000 sq metres and above. These include shopping complexes, office buildings, mixed shopping and office buildings and hotel buildings with shops. For mixed office/shopping/residential complexes, the condition will apply to the shops and office units, but not the residential units. For hotel buildings with shops, the condition will apply to the shopping units only if the shopping area exceeds 5,000 sq.”
“Sir, I beg to move, In page 5, line 28, after "section 3", to insert" and to any direction by the Minister". This amendment involves section 16 which deals with payment of revenue collected from car park operations into the funds of the Urban Redevelopment Authority. The URA manages several fringe car parks on behalf of Government. As the fringe car parks are owned by Government, the revenue collected from these car parks should rightly be paid to Government. The proposed amendment provides for the payment of revenue collected from Government-owned car parks to Government although URA may be operating them on Government's behalf. Amendment agreed to. Clause 6, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 7 ordered to stand part of the Bill. Bill reported with amendments; read a Third time and passed. PLANNING (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 7.30 p.m.”
“Sir, I beg to move. In page 4, line 8, to leave out "lessor" and insert "owner". According to the Attorney-General, this is a technical amendment to standardize the terms used in the Parking Places Act with those of existing law. In the Hire-Purchase Act the person who owns the goods under a hire-purchase agreement is referred to as "owner" and not as "lessor". Amendment agreed to. Clause 5, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill. Clause 6 -”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry of Finance decides on the exemption of a stamp fee. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Teh Cheang Wan]. Bill considered in Committee. [Mr Speaker in the Chair] Clause 1 -”
“If a genuine mistake has been made, the motorist can always explain it to the URA officer who may decide to reduce or even waive the fine. From the records, in the last few months, of the number of those who went to the URA to explain their mistakes made in the coupons, 60% to 75% of them were given a reduction in the fines. On the point about installation of parking meters instead of using parking coupons, we have, in fact, already made a study of parking meters before we introduced coupon parking. From our study we find that parking meters are easily damaged by vandals, or they often malfunction. If I remember correctly, parking meters were used in Penang, but because they were not functioning well the authorities had to remove them. Sir, I think I have covered all the points raised by Members. Mr Jeyaretnam rose -”
“On the other hand, if he wants to get something out of the shopkeepers operating in the shopping complex, he may close the car park at, say, 9.00 p.m., thus preventing the people from parking there. So the need to control private parking fees by the Superintendent is to ensure that car park owners do not take undue advantage by charging high parking fees, thereby making the life of the tenants or owners of the shops very miserable. The Government imposes this requirement to ensure that the Superintendent of Car Parks has a certain measure of control over the management and the parking fees of private car parks. The next point is that when an offence has been committed the owner of the vehicle is required to make a statutory declaration. Let me say that it is not in every case that we ask the owners of vehicles to make a statu;ory declaration. But I think the hon. Member for Anson has made a very pertinent point. If the owner provides the particulars of the driver to the Superintendent of Car Parks by means of a letter, instead of making a statutory declaration, it would be very difficult for the URA to take the owner to court because the owner can always claim that he is not the one who wrote the letter. But if he has made a statutory declaration, it would be very difficult for him to say, "I am not the one who made the statutory declaration. I am not responsible for it." I am obliged to the Member for Anson for bringing up this point. It really supports the particular provision that a statutory declaration is, in fact, required. On the point raised by the Member for Khe Bong about tearing the wrong tabs from the parking coupon, instruction has been given to the Superintendent of Car Parks to take a very lenient view in such cases.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, on the point raised by the Member for Toa Payoh about using car park levies to build more car parks either in the Central Business District or in areas where there is a shortage of car parks, I would like to inform him that the Urban Redevelopment Authority has proceeded with this policy. For example, in the Central area, several multi-storey car parks have been planned. Piling work is already in progress to provide additional car parks to relieve the parking shortage. In areas outside the CBD where there is a shortage of car parks or where road congestion has been experienced, the URA is looking for suitable places to build additional surface car parks. The URA is also looking into this question of providing parking places for heavy vehicles. In fact, this has been looked into. Sometime ago some of the fringe car parks have already been utilized for the parking of heavy vehicles or container trucks. The hon. Member for Anson made two points. His first point is why should private car park charges be approved by the Superintendent of Car Parks. I can assure the Member that this is not to prevent the owners from competing with the URA. Rather, it is the other way round. A lot of private car parks in big shopping complexes are owned by the developers. They can therefore charge exorbitant parking fees for utilizing the car parks. The point is that since they own the car parks, and if they were permitted to charge any rate they like, they can raise the parking fee. For example, if a shopping centre is well located, is very popular, and a lot of people patronise the shopping complex, then if the developer is unscrupulous, he will try to get as much revenue as possible from the car park by charging high parking fees.”
“The other major aspect of the Bill is to allow the Minister to utilise any land or premises owned or occupied by any statutory board as a parking place on terms and conditions to be agreed upon between the Minister and the statutory board. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 7.04 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." There is no provision in the Act to allow statutory boards to retain parking charges and fines in the operation of their own car parks. Under the Act, the statutory boards can only act as agents for the Urban Redevelopment Authority. All revenues collected from car park operations should, therefore, be credited into URA funds. In practice, the revenues collected are retained by the respective statutory boards who are responsible for maintaining their car parks. This Bill proposes to regularise the practice. Presently a vehicle owner alleged to have committed a parking offence under the Act is obliged to furnish particulars of the driver at the relevant time. Occasionally, the owners supplied the names of overseas residents and this has made enforcement difficult and impractical. This Bill proposes to impose the liability on the vehicle owner for the parking offence. However, a number of defences are available to the owner. He can avoid liability if he proves that his vehicle was stolen or illegally taken or used at the material time or if he can satisfy the Superintendent, Car Parks Division, or the court that he was not the driver who actually committed the offence. There is a similar provision in the Road Traffic Act for traffic offences. The Bill also seeks to empower the Superintendent to remove any vehicle found abandoned in a parking place to a place of safety. The owner shall pay all expenses incurred in the removal, and the fines and charges for any parking offences. The Superintendent may sell or otherwise dispose of the vehicle if it is not claimed by the owner within a specified period of time.”
“The PWD has been monitoring closely the traffic conditions in Toa Payoh New Town. The road system there has been designed to fully meet the traffic demands of its residents. However, there has been peak hour traffic congestion along Toa Payoh Lorongs 1, 2 and 6. This is caused by extraneous traffic from Tampines, Serangoon Gardens, Seletar and Ang Mo Kio passing through Toa Payoh New Town to go to and from the city. Such through traffic will be reduced significantly when the Sembawang Expressway from Ang Mo Kio New Town to Jalan Toa Payoh presently under construction is completed in January 1983. The Expressway will enable motorists from the north-eastern sector of the island going to and from the city to bypass Toa Payoh. The further extension of the Sembawang Expressway to join the Central Expressway at Thomson/Norfolk Roads in 1984 will reduce further the through traffic going into Toa Payoh. WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS (Not reached within Question Time) MUSLIM PILGRIMAGE 20. Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi asked the Acting minister for Social Affairs (a) if he will report on Muslim pilgrimage during the last three years giving details on (i) the number of pilgrims by sex and age group; (ii) the cost of return air fare and the gross total payment; (iii) the number of deaths for each year; (iv) the number of registered and unregistered pilgrim travel agents in Singapore; (v) the main problems encountered by the pilgrims; and (b) what measures will be taken to ensure that the pilgrimage service will continue to be improved in future years.”
“What the PWD does is to make up these roads to Government standards and thereafter the Government will declare the roads as public roads and maintain the roads henceforth. After the roads have been made up by the Public Works Department, the owners of properties fronting these roads will find that the value of their properties has been greatly enhanced. I think all the owners should be very glad that the PWD is able to make up the roads which help to improve their properties. Of course, many of the owners are good businessmen and they can do the calculations. If the finance company is paying a good deal more than 10% interest, then by paying instalments to the Government at 6% they can use the money for another purpose. It is not that these are poor people who cannot afford to pay the Government the money for making up of roads. In fact, the developers are multi-millionaires. At present, they are paying the Government instalments at an interest rate of 6%. But if the interest rate is increased to 11%, maybe the Government will increase its revenue and make the cost of money reflect the market rate. The owners will do the calculations and quite often they will still pay the instalments because they find that the proposed interest rate of 11% is still quite low compared with the market rate or the rate charged by the banks. Most probably it will cost them a good deal more than 11%. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time and committed to a Committee of the whole House. The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Teh Cheang Wan]. Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed. REGISTRATION OF DEEDS 5.21 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I wish to thank the Member for Khe Bong for his support of the Bill. On the various points raised by the hon. Member for Anson, I would rather not go into the details of the deposit with the HDB and HUDC because we will have plenty of opportunities very soon in the Budget debate to discuss this matter. But I just want to say that the amount of deposit for an HDB or HUDC flat is not sufficient to buy the land. If the hon. Member for Anson has dealings with developers, he can ask them whether the few thousand dollars deposit for an HDB flat or the $18,000 deposit for an HUDC flat is sufficient to buy the land to develop the flats. If the hon. Member for Anson has an opportunity to ask the developers, I am quite sure the answer is "No". The amount of deposit is not sufficient to buy the land. The money held by the HDB or HUDC is utilized for the purchase of the land for development of flats. In fact, both the authorities are not holding any money of these people who deposit money with these two authorities. But this has nothing to do with the Bill before the House. Under the Local Government Integration Act, the 6% interest which the Government collects is well below the prevailing market rate at present, I am quite sure the hon. Member for Anson knows that the interest rate that a finance company pays to those who put money in it is certainly very much higher than 6%, probably much higher than 11% which this Bill proposes to collect. The Public Works Department incurs the expenditure mainly for making up roads. And it involves those properties fronting the roads which have not been made up. Quite often, these roads have a lot of pot-holes and not suitable for vehicular traffic.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." The existing provisions of the Local Government Integration Act allow the Public Works Department to recover road-making costs incurred by the Department from the owners of properties fronting, adjoining or abutting streets which have been made up. Payments may be made by instalments with an interest rate not exceeding 6% per annum over a period not exceeding 10 years. The interest rate of 6% per annum has never been revised since 1963 and does not reflect the present cost of funds. The Amendment Bill, therefore, seeks to: (i) revise the interest rate for recovery of road-making costs by instalments, to 11% per annum which is the normal rate levied by the Government for the recovery of debts by instalments; and (ii) allow the Minister to vary the rate by notification in the Gazette when there is a need to further revise the rates as economic conditions change. Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed.”
“Resolved, That this Parliament, pursuant to section 3 of the Departmental Titles (Alteration) Act (Chapter 53), resolves that the Schedule to the said Act be amended by the addition under the headings of "Old Title or Name of Office" and "New Title or Name of Office" respectively of the following:- Old Title or New Title or Name of Office Name of Office Assistant Director Deputy Director (Building Control), (Development and Public Works Building Control), Department Public Works Department. ADJOURNMENT Resolved, "That Parliament do now adjourn to a date to be fixed." - [Mr E W Barker]. Adjourned accordingly at Eleven minutes to Five o'clock p.m. to a date to be fixed. list - PRESENT DISTRIBUTION OF SAF KEEP-FIT APPARATUS (Cols. 281 - 282)”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the Motion* standing in my name under item 4 in the Order Paper. * The Motion reads as follows: That this Parliament, pursuant to section 3 of the Departmental Titles (Alteration) Act (Chapter 53), resolves that the Schedule to the said Act be amended by the addition under the headings of "Old Title or Name of Office" and "New Title or Name of Office" respectively of the following:-- Old Title or Name of Office New Title or Name of Office Assistant Director Deputy Director (Building Control), (Development and Building Control), Public Works Department Public Works Department. The Assistant Director (Building Control), PWD, currently exercises the powers and duties of the Building Authority under the Building Control Act and the Competent Authority under the Planning Act, respectively. The post of Assistant Director (Building Control), PWD, has, on 1st May, 1981, been upgraded to the Deputy Director level; hence the need to change the departmental title so that henceforth the Deputy Director (Development and Building Control), PWD, will be the Building Authority and Competent Authority under the respective Acts. The change in that part of the title from "(Building Control)" to "(Development and Building Control)" is necessary to reflect the two main functions of the Division which have resulted from a merger of the Building Control and Development Control Divisions in PWD in 1974. Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to.”
“Members of Parliament of Chinese descent, and indeed all Chinese Singaporean adults, are free to adopt Hanyu Pinyin names if they so wish. Those who have sentimental attachments to their names may want to continue using their dialect-transliterated names. Unlike children, they are more established in life or have been known by their dialect names for decades. They may not want to change them.”
“Yes, Sir. I just want to say that the answer has been given earlier. CHINESE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT (Names in Hanyu Pinyin) 16. Dr Tan Cheng Bock asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Culture, in line with the policy of promoting Mandarin and the use of Hanyu Pinyin names, will it not be appropriate for Chinese Members of Parliament to have their names in Hanyu Pinyin. The Minister of State for Culture (Mr Fong Sip Chee) (for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Culture): Sir, let me restate the rationale of the Speak Mandarin Campaign. Human resource is our premium asset. A population reasonably proficient in at least two languages is an advantage which nobody can deny. However, we must take care that raw emotions should never be allowed to cloud the issue and steer the campaign away from its declared objective. This is a campaign aimed at the Chinese Singaporean community. Hon. Members must be aware that the multi-dialect-speaking environment among the Chinese community has been a serious hindrance to the study of the language by our pupils, including pupils in the Chinese schools. The widespread use of numerous dialects has already led to the emergence of a Chinese patois, frequently incomprehensible even to those who unconsciously indulge in it. It compounds the difficulty in the study of the language and its proper usage and has, to a large extent, negated the Government's efforts in teaching the language. It is for this reason that Hanyu Pinyin has been used to standardize the spelling of Chinese names as it will help to make the language environment more conducive for the use of Mandarin. A start has already been made in the schools.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you look at the compensation for resettlement, it covers hundreds of items. Housing is one. When a squatter's house is demolished, he gets compensation. I would say that it may be fair to index the compensation for a squatter's house to an HDB flat. But I do not think it is fair to index, say, rambutan trees, durian trees and vegetable farms to HDB flats.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, traffic conditions in Bedok New Town are being continuously monitored by the Public Works Department (PWD). Their observations show that the traffic situation along the Town's major roads and at the Lorong Chin Chin Interchange with the PanIsland Expressway (PIE) has been satisfactory. There is some congestion near New Upper Changi Road and Bedok North Avenue 1 intersection. This will be relieved by the widening of New Upper Changi Road between Siglap Road and Bedok North Avenue 1 from dual two lanes to dual three lanes. The road widening will also enlarge traffic capacity at the junction. When works are completed in October this year, traffic flow in this part of Bedok will improve considerably. There is no plan to construct a slip road from the PIE into Bedok New Town, as there are already very good alternative access roads from Changi Airport to Bedok New Town. Residents returning from the Airport can use either the East Coast Parkway and Bedok South Avenue 1, or the PIE and New Upper Changi Road. CHANGI AIRPORT/CHANGI VILLAGE (Direct bus service) 14. Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for Trade and Industry if he will request the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board to consider arranging with some bus companies or tour agencies to operate direct bus services between the Changi Airport Passenger Terminal Building and Changi Village for tourists to visit Changi Village during their short stop-over at Singapore.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not think that is a correct interpretation of our policy, At present the housing estate concerned is being served by two roads, that is, Bedok Rise and Jalan Langgar Bedok, off Bedok Road. So there is a proper access to that estate. I do not think there is any traffic jam in that area. Another point is that the Member for Tanah Merah is asking for an additional road to serve that area. But since that private housing estate, which does not have a very large number of housing units, is already being served by two roads, an additional road is not justified because this is tantamount to wasting a large amount of public funds. To build an additional road would mean having three roads in that area. Another reason, as I have said, is that Tanah Merah Kechil Road is likely to form part of a future public scheme. So if we spend money on building up that stretch of Tanah Merah Kechil Road, the money will be wasted. I do not think it is correct to say that because we are adopting this policy we have, therefore, no forward planning.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, when the public scheme is finalized, the Tanah Merah Kechil Road will be incorporated as part of the scheme. Therefore, any making up of the road in that area now will only be a waste of money.”
“Sir, the Planning Department and the HDB have studied the possible development of that area, and it is most probable that a public scheme will be implemented there. But until the scheme is finalized, I will not be able to make a definite statement on the development of that area.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are no plans to make up the stretch of Tanah Merah Kechil Road between Jalan Limau Bali and Upper East Coast Road. Satisfactory access to the private housing development in the area is provided by Bedok Rise and Jalan Langgar Bedok, off Bedok Road. Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I take it, therefore, that the HDB has no plans to develop the vacant piece of State land between Bedok South Avenue 3 and the Tanah Merah Kechil Road,”
“Sir, the scheme will be implemented when it is ready. TANAH MERAH KECHIL ROAD (Making up) 12. Dr Lee Chiaw Meng asked the Minister for National Development whether there is any plan to make up that stretch of Tanah Merah Kechil Road between Jalan Limau Bali and Upper East Coast Road.”
“Sir, as regards all the suggestions to bring the families together, whether they come from the Prime Minister, Ministers, Members of Parliament, or members of the public, the HDB has been carefully considering the various schemes. Those schemes that can be implemented immediately, the HDB has implemented them. As for those schemes that need time to formulate or if the schemes may give rise to problems or repercussions, then their implementation will take a longer time because further consideration will have to be given to them.”
“Sir, yes, the HDB is considering those suggestions.”
“Sir, I think the scheme is reasonably successful. From the HDB records a lot of families still have their parents living with them. And this scheme is to enable families with married children who themselves are already separate family units, to live near one another. So the scheme can be considered to be reasonably successful. Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in his Chinese New Year message, the Prime Minister made certain suggestions on how the HDB could bring the immediate families to live together. Is the HDB considering those suggestions?”
“Sir, the HDB presently operates three schemes to enable parents and married children to live near each other. The Joint Balloting Scheme permits parents and their married children on the waiting list for flats to be given priority in the allocation of adjoining flats or flats within the same estate. Since the introduction of the Scheme in August, 1977, 1,985 families have been allocated flats under the Scheme and another 2,046 applications are awaiting allocation. Secondly, families which already own HDB flats can take advantage of the Mutual Exchange Scheme to live in the same housing estate. Under this Scheme, lessees can mutually exchange their flats provided one party has occupied the flat for at least five years. Since July 1978 when the Scheme was introduced, 64 families have mutually exchanged fists. To further encourage mutual exchange, the HDB will be reducing the minimum occupancy period from five years to one year. Thirdly, tenants of HDB rental flats are granted priority for transfer of flats in order to live nearer to their parents or married children. A total of 448 families have taken advantage of the Priority Transfer Scheme for Rental Flats since its implementation in July, 1978.”