NATURE RESERVES ORDINANCE (Amendment to Schedule)

11.42 a.m.

The Minister for Local Government, Lands and Housing (Dato Abdul Hamid Bin Haji Jumat): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the motion standing in my name,

That this Assembly, pursuant to subsection (1) of section 4 of the Nature Reserves. Ordinance (Chapter 235), resolves that paragraph 4 of the Schedule to the aforesaid Ordinance be deleted and the following substituted therefor : -

"All that piece of land situate in Mukim No. XIII, Sembawang, in the Island of Singapore known as Kranji Forest Reserve comprised in Lot 163-8 and estimated to contain an area of 51a, lr. 10p., the boundaries of which are more particularly delineated and edged pink on Certified Plan No. 10401 filed in the office of the Chief Surveyor, Singapore.".

Sir, the trunk roads which connect Johore Bahru to Singapore city carry a very heavy flow of traffic at almost all times of the day. Rapid developments in the northern part of Singapore island, both industrial and residential, have necessitated improvements in road communication in this part of the island. The trunk roads leading to the north have had to be considerably widened and dual carriageways have been constructed to facilitate the faster flow of traffic.

Sir, in this road widening scheme, the construction of a dual carriageway at Woodlands necessitates encroachment on part of the Kranji Forest Reserve Lot 162-5, Mukim No. 13, Sembawang. The proposed excision of the Forest Reserve for road development comprises an estimated area of a little over two acres which is approximately 1/26th of the total area of the Kranji Forest Reserve.

I must mention, Sir, that the Trustees of the Board of Management of the Nature Reserves, appreciating the Public Works Department's requirements of land for modernisation of the Woodlands Road, have agreed to the excision of this land with great regret. However, the Board has made a detailed botanical survey before the natural vegetation is lost for all time.

Sir, I beg to move.

The Assistant Minister for Education (Inche Mohamed Sidik Bin Haji Abdul Hamid): Sir, I second it.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Assembly, pursuant to subsection (1) of section 4 of the Nature Reserves Ordinance (Chapter 235), resolves that paragraph 4 of the Schedule to the aforesaid Ordinance be deleted arid the following substituted therefor:-

"All that piece of land situate in Mukim No. XIII, Sembawang, in the Island of Singapore known as Kranji Forest Reserve comprised in Lot 163-8 and estimated to contain an area of 51a, lr. 10p., the boundaries of which are more particularly delineated and edged pink on Certified Plan No. 10401 filed in the office of the Chief Surveyor. Singapore.".