FUNERAL PARLOURS

FUNERAL PARLOURS:

(Criteria in determining site): 4.

Mr Hri Kumar Nair asked the Minister for National Development what are the relevant criteria used in determining the site for funeral parlours and, in particular, whether they should more appropriately be located in industrial or other areas away from housing estates.

The Minister of State for National Development (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, let me first explain the need for purpose-built funeral parlours. Today, the majority of funeral wakes are held at temporary premises such as HDB void decks or in tentages along streets and in car parks. These wakes cause noise pollution, traffic congestion and other disturbances to residents living in the area. With a fast ageing population, the demand for funeral services is expected to increase.

We can learn from other major Asian cities like Hong Kong and Tokyo in this area. They have purpose-built funeral parlours that are well designed and regulated to minimise nuisance to surrounding residents. Hence, these funeral parlours can be situated in accessible locations,

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such as in mixed residential/commercial and industrial areas or at the fringes of new towns.

The Government plans to introduce such purpose-built funeral parlours in Singapore. In considering where to site such a funeral parlour, our key considerations are accessibility and minimising disturbances to residents. On the one hand, the site should not be so remote as to be inaccessible to bereaved families and visitors. An inaccessible location can also make the funeral parlour non-viable. On the other hand, the site should be sensitive to the needs of the various stakeholders and, where possible, minimise disamenities to the area.

We have identified the Sin Ming site for such a purpose-built funeral parlour for a few reasons. It is located within an industrial estate and the access to the funeral parlour will not be taken through residential areas but through the industrial estate. On the other hand, it is still accessible to the public as it is centrally located, and there is convenient public transport access to the area.

My Ministry is mindful of the concerns of residents in the area. We have engaged the hon. Member (Mr Hri Kumar), Thomson CCC, Sin Ming Court and Sin Ming Garden grassroots leaders throughout the process of planning.

Mr Hri Kumar and the grassroots leaders have conveyed to us the concerns of the residents and have given us many useful feedback and suggestions. We are giving their feedback and suggestions serious consideration. For instance, we have brought forward the development plan of the adjacent industrial site so that it will serve as an effective buffer between the funeral parlour site and the nearest residential areas and school. We

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will not commence development of the funeral parlour until after the industrial site is developed. Taking into consideration the feedback from the stakeholders, we have also shifted the proposed site further away from the nearest residential areas. We are increasing the provision for car parking lots. The tender conditions for the proposed funeral parlour development will also impose the necessary mitigating measures, to ensure that concerns of disturbances can be adequately addressed. These conditions include requiring fully enclosed and air-conditioned premises, with all activities confined indoors to ensure privacy and minimise noise pollution; allowing only indoor incense burning facilities and processions within the premises and screening off all services and activities from public view through design and use of landscaping within the premises.

Finally, let me assure the Member that all necessary measures will be put in place to reduce disturbances as much as possible, before we proceed with the development. We are still studying the feedback received, and I hope that the stakeholders can continue to work together with the Government towards a constructive solution in the overall interest of Singapore.

Mr Hri Kumar Nair (Bishan-Toa Payoh): Sir, the Sin Ming area is already populated by funeral parlours and places of worship. There are concerns by residents that it is now being earmarked as a "hub" for such activities. May I know from the MOS whether more parlours will be built in the Sin Ming area? In addition, there is a concern that the new parlour will attract businesses into the industrial area which are ancillary to the parlour business, therefore entrenching such trades in Sin Ming and reinforcing the perception that it will become a hub. May I know from the MOS how the Ministry proposes to deal with this?

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Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for the supplementary questions. First of all, let me assure the Member that there is no plan to develop Sin Ming as a funeral parlour hub. We are piloting a purpose-built funeral parlour and if that proves to be popular, we will consider building more such facilities in other locations where there is demand to serve residents in other parts of the country.

As to the question about whether they will be attracting ancillary services, let me assure the Member that funeral parlour services such as embalming, prayers, rituals and rites, and so on, are strictly not allowed in any industrial building. They are classified under a different land use and, therefore, subject to tighter controls due to potential disamenities that they introduce. So, there is no question that the industrial site will be attracting such ancillary services.

Let me just say that, at the moment, we will look at the situation, particularly, as I have said earlier on, we have decided to delay the development of the funeral parlour until the industrial site is developed. Until then, we will be happy to receive feedback as to how we can address the concerns of the residents further.

Dr Ong Seh Hong (Marine Parade): Mr Speaker, Sir, MOS said that accessibility is one of the considerations. But I just wonder how often do people have to go to a funeral parlour, like they have to go to a shopping centre, cinema or sports complex, that makes accessibility so important. Also, I would like to know how many feedback or complaints MND receives from residents regarding the noise and disturbance from void deck wakes. Because, as an MP, I seldom receive such a complaint and I realise that it has more or less become part of Singaporeans' life and culture.

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Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for the supplementary question. Accessibility is, indeed, an important consideration because we have also received feedback from funeral parlour operators that they do consider accessibility as an issue. And also from our perspective and understanding, right now, many of the wakes are actually conducted, as the Member said, at the void decks, on the streets as well as public roads. In view of a potential increase in such wakes in our country, we are basically taking a view about what we need to do for the future.

Right now, we have a model that we think is probably a better alternative - a model that basically puts a purpose-built funeral parlour where all the services are put together, it is air-conditioned, it is held indoor. We have all the conditions that we have thought through, including not allowing procession to be carried on the street, allowing incense only to be burnt indoor and with air pollution control measures. So, we believe that the traditional rite and ritual funeral wakes can actually be carried out in an environment that is more controlled and cleaner, and it is probably quieter for everybody in that environment. This is something that we are planning for the future. We have seen better alternatives of funeral parlours in other countries. I think it is only right for us to consider these models for a very small country like Singapore where we are living close by to one another. It may not be an immediate issue as we do not receive many complaints. But, I think, it is an issue that we need to deal with in the longer term. As I said, we have already decided to delay the funeral parlour construction until a time when the industrial site is developed, and we will take into consideration issues that have been raised by residents.

I would just like to say that although the issue about complaints may not be a

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very critical one at the moment, but we do receive complaints from residents.

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