INTERIM UPGRADING PROGRAMME FOR PRIVATE HOUSING ESTATES

INTERIM UPGRADING PROGRAMME FOR PRIVATE HOUSING ESTATES: 13.

Mdm Cynthia Phua asked the Minister for National Development whether the Government will introduce an Interim Upgrading Programme for private housing estates so that more estates could be upgraded in view of the limited funds.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman) (for the Minister for National Development): Sir, the public areas and amenities in the private residential estates come under the purview of various public agencies. For example, LTA manages roads, pavements and street lightings; PUB oversees drainage-related works; while NParks is in charge of works relating to parks. These agencies have their respective maintenance and upgrading programmes for the

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private estates, and do consider feedback and requests by the estates for improvement works when executing their programmes.

In addition, MND has an Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP) for selected private estates, when more comprehensive upgrading is done. In carrying out EUP, MND coordinates its works with those of other public agencies.

My Ministry is open to any suggestions to improve the current arrangements, to better serve the needs of the private estates’ residents in a more comprehensive and cost-effective way.

Mdm Cynthia Phua (Aljunied): Sir, the Parliamentary Secretary is not supportive of the Interim Upgrading Programme (IUP) for the private estates which is one way of coordinating the various agencies in upgrading the estates. I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to look into two systematic infrastructures. One is the lighting level. In the private estates, the lighting level is really not up-to-date. Secondly, it is the temporary shelters along the private estates because a lot of residents as well as school children walk to the bus stops and go to the basic amenities. These are two major improvements that are needed in the private estates.

My second supplementary question is this. Without the Interim Upgrading Programme, would the Ministry consider setting up a body to coordinate the agencies, as he rightly said in his answer that there are many agencies involved in the private estates?

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Sir, I think Mdm Cynthia Phua did not quite understand my earlier answer. I did not say that we did not support the request for any Interim Upgrading Programme. I said that we are open to any suggestions to improve the current arrangements.

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Specific to the request that she has made, we will study those requests, as we understand that private estates also have got issues that they have put across through the Advisors. We are open to any possible suggestions. We will study those suggestions accordingly.

Mdm Ho Geok Choo: I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to enlighten the House on the criteria for the Estate Upgrading Programme and, to date, how many private estates actually had undergone such an exercise. And for those who are on the queue - I understand that quite a number of estates are on the queue - what is the estimated duration that they would have to wait?

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Sir, seven estates have recently been selected for EUP Batch 5. With this, altogether, we have some 30 estates that have already been selected for EUP since the year 2000 and a total of some 23,300 dwelling units would have benefited from EUP.

As in the case of public housing estates, it is not possible for us to upgrade all residential estates at one go. Estates in greater need of upgrading would therefore be given higher priority. So far, EUP batches are launched between one-and-a-half and two years' intervals. Mdm Ho asked for the selection criteria. The selection criteria of the EUP, as I have written to all Advisors, include, firstly, the age and the physical condition of the estate. Certainly, those which are older and need higher levels of upgrading will get higher priority. Secondly, the level of community bonding that exists. For example, existence of network committees and residents' associations, because we want some level of ownership with regard to the kind of works that are going to be done. Thirdly, the scope of the significant estate improvement works that need to be done.

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Fourthly, how well the residents maintain their own property. And, lastly, we want to also ensure a good geographical spread across all the different selected estates.

Mr Speaker: Mdm Cynthia Phua, last question.

Mdm Cynthia Phua: Sir, I am glad that the Parliamentary Secretary has said that he is open to suggestions. But I would like to know when a study can be made and whether he can tell us when he is looking into it. Secondly, I hope he will include the two items - the lighting level as well as the shelters. Thirdly, the Parliamentary Secretary has not answered the second supplementary question, ie, is he setting up a coordinating body to help our private estate residents in maintaining their estates?

Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: I am very aware that Mdm Cynthia Phua is very anxious about when we can complete EUP projects and when we can complete studies in relation to it. I assure her that we will take up all the suggestions. I am not able to give a timeframe as of now because, as I have said, we are open to suggestions. We are studying possibilities of different ways of improving the programme.

With regard to coordination work, we know that the Government has implemented a "no wrong door" policy since 2004. This means that the officer of any public agency receiving calls will help to put queries from members of the public to the right agencies. I think, today, we know that in every estate, there are different agencies that are involved in this kind of upgrading work that is needed, and the cyclical maintenance works of these different agencies may differ along the lifespan of that estate. So it is difficult to see when, what needs to be done and how. But when we do a proper EUP, that

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means that an estate is selected for EUP, we will try to coordinate as far as possible to minimise the inconveniences that will affect the residents of that particular estate.