RESETTLEMENT OF QUEENSTOWN TENANTS (Negotiation Terms)

Mr John Ede asked the Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing whether he will make a statement on the claims of the Attap Dwellers' Association that it negotiated terms with the previous Government for the resettlement of Queenstown tenants and that more recently it agreed to fresh compromise terms with the present Government.

Inche Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Attap Dwellers' Association represented many of the persons whom it was necessary to remove for the S.I.T. development schemes at Queenstown, and it was accordingly consulted by the Land Office in regard to the general terms of the resettlement scheme which it was proposing to recommend to Government, and in regard to the land at Jurong to which it was intended to be applied. After consultation and general acceptance by the Association, the scheme was then referred to and approved by the previous Government with certain modifications. The Attap Dwellers' Association has more recently made further representations in connection with the modifications of the original scheme, and a variation in the terms offered has been made by this Government, as an interim measure, increasing the minimum compensation payable to $1,000.