MALAY VILLAGE

MALAY VILLAGE: * * *

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(Revamp): **

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Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for National Development (a) why the Malay Village has not been able to thrive since its inception; and (b) how the new plans to revamp it will be an improvement from the past.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: The Malay Village site was sold to Malay Village Pte Ltd for a commercial development, on a 20-year lease which commenced on 27th September 1991. The lease will expire in 2011. It is a private development and Government has no hand in its operations. As such, I am not able to comment on its business performance.

Under the new Draft Master Plan 08, which URA unveiled on 23rd May, the Paya Lebar area will be comprehensively redeveloped into a commercial hub called Paya Lebar Central, where new commercial floor space for retail, office and hotel use will be located.

The site occupied by the Malay Village will be re-parcelled for more optimal land use. A substantial portion of the site will be reserved for a new civic building that will house a variety of amenities, including a Community Club, the Community Development Council office, and possibly a Community Library. A new open plaza space, about the same size as the open atrium space at HDB Hub, will be created next to this civic building. This space will allow for community uses, including activities related to the Hari Raya celebrations. Another portion of the Malay Village site will make way for an improved road network to reduce traffic congestion in the area.

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To retain the ethnic character of the area, a new pedestrian mall will be created along Geylang Road to accommodate more stalls during the annual Hari Raya bazaar.

In summary, the comprehensive redevelopment of Paya Lebar Central into a new sub-regional commercial hub will allow us to cater to new commercial and civic uses, while retaining the rich Malay heritage of this area.