LAND AT BUKIT PANJANG AND BUKIT GOMBAK FOR HOUSE BUILDING

Mr Goh Tong Liang asked the Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing whether the Government will take over the land at Bukit Panjang and Bukit Gombak and sub-divide it into small building lots for the people in Bukit Panjang division to build their own houses.

Inche Abdul Hamid: Mr Speaker, Sir, at the sitting of this Assembly in September 1956, in answer to a similar question by the hon. Member for Bukit Panjang relating to land at Bukit Panjang and Bukit Gombak, I explained that the Admiralty land in question was required for essential defence purposes which would preclude the building of houses on it. The position remains the same and the Admiralty still requires the land for defence purposes, and this Government cannot and will not take over the land for housing.