Civic Centre at Current Malay Village Site

Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for National Development if he will provide an update on the development of the proposed civic centre at the current Malay Village site in Geylang Serai.

Mr Khaw Boon Wan: The proposed civic centre at Geylang Serai was announced by the Prime Minister during his National Day Rally last August.

Since the Prime Minister's announcement, MND has set up a workgroup, which Senior Parliamentary Secretary Dr Maliki chairs. Members of this workgroup include Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef, Member of Parliament for Marine Parade GRC, former Member of Parliament Yatiman Yusof, as well as community leaders and distinguished professionals in the creative, business and academic fields. The workgroup will develop recommendations on the hardware and programming for the civic centre, as well as urban design and connectivity within the Geylang Serai precinct. The workgroup has been engaging stakeholders and members of the public in formulating these recommendations. Following a similar process of engagement, Wisma Geylang Serai was chosen as the name for the civic centre. As mentioned previously, the civic centre will, amongst other things, house the Geylang Serai Community Club, South East Community Development Council and a Malay Heritage Gallery.

Work has already proceeded to make Geylang Serai highly accessible to pedestrians. Part of the outdoor pedestrian mall along Geylang Road will be completed by June 2012, and can be used to support festivities and community events for this year's Hari Raya Bazaar. These works comprise a continuous three-metre-wide walkway and SMART-POLEs with electrical sockets, which will make the area a much more pleasant environment for pedestrians, businesses and motorists.

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The workgroup will conclude its work later this year, and we can look forward to the completion of the civic centre by 2016.