KAMPONG KEMBANGAN (Re-siting of Sawmills)

Inche Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi asked the Minister for Finance whether the Government has any plan to re-site the sawmills in the Kampong Kembangan Constituency in an area for the sawmill industry.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance (Mr S. Ramaswamy) (for the Minister for Finance): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Member for Kampong Kembangan may be pleased to know that so far about 100 acres of swamp land at Kranji have been reclaimed and will be developed to provide sites for sawmills.

The Member will appreciate that it is necessary to relocate some of our sawmills in Singapore which, at present, occupy strategic sites in the city and suburban areas. While sawmilling is providing employment for quite a number of people, the land that they now occupy in the heart of the city and surrounding areas can be better used. The Economic Development Board, together with the Housing and Development Board, will give priority to sawmills which have to be relocated to make way for urban renewal, housing and industrial projects. To date, the Economic Development Board has received about 70 applications for sawmills for sites at Kranji. The first 100 acres so far reclaimed will be able to accommodate about 25 sawmills. It is the Government's intention to locate all sawmills at Kranji so that better amenities for the sawmill industry can be provided. The allocation of land will begin as soon as the site at Kranji has been serviced with electricity and water.