CORRIDOR LIGHTS AT KALLANG FLATS

Mrs Seow Peck Leng asked the Minister for National Development what consideration has been given to the request of the residents of the Housing and Development Board flats at Kallang for increasing the number of lights in the common corridors of these flats.

Mr Tan Kia Gan: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Housing and Development Board has given consideration to the matter of lighting in the common corridors of flats since the Member for Mountbatten questioned it sometime last year. They are satisfied that the standard of lighting in the common corridors is adequate and comparable with the standards maintained in the Board's other estates.

Mrs Seow Peck Leng: Mr Speaker, Sir, I wonder whether the Minister or his officers have actually visited the Kallang Flats to investigate the justification of the complaints. I admit that the flats are all differently built, and in some areas it can be said that the lighting is sufficient. But there are blocks where the lighting is so bad that it is very easy to fall over unexpected steps which exist in some of the flats. I myself have experienced it. So I wonder whether the Minister or his officers have visited such flats, and, if not, whether the Minister would send officers to investigate the different types of blocks before deciding not to reconsider the complaints.

Mr Tan Kia Gan: Mr Speaker, Sir, it is very odd for the Member to say such things, because on the last occasion when she brought up this matter of lighting, I asked her to indicate to me which of the different blocks had such a difficult problem. In fact, she said she would indicate to me where these buildings were. I am not saying that the Housing Board has not done its duty as far as investigating the lighting of such buildings in Kallang is concerned, but I have already indicated to them that the Member for Mountbatten was concerned about this problem. They have reported that they are satisfied. At any rate, if the Member for Mountbatten could communicate with me about specific cases, I will definitely look into them.