URBAN AND RURAL SERVICES PROJECTS

7.16 p.m.

Inche Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi (Kampong Kembangan): (In Malay): Mr Speaker, the present Government should be commended for its efforts to raise the standard of living of our multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious people and to give more prosperity and happiness, be they in social activities or development projects. We can see for ourselves that many schools have been built to cater for the increasing number of the country's school-going children; factories have been set up to provide more employment to our school-leavers; old and dilapidated houses have given way to modern multi-storey flats in order to solve the housing problems faced by our people. At the same time, drains have been constructed, whilst the smaller ones have been widened to alleviate flooding and prevent stagnant waters from becoming places for mosquito breeding. Many new roads have been constructed and small ones widened to cope with the increased volume of traffic in our Republic.

The projects carried out by Government in urban areas so far have been successful and are gaining momentum. Every State guest from abroad and tourists alike who call at Singapore are truely amazed by the various Government projects. It is even more so for those who have been here previously so that they can compare the state of affairs obtaining then and now. But Government projects in Kampong Kembangan Constituency, which is a suburban area, is a matter of regret to me. I have stated earlier that Government's effort to uplift the living standards of the people is praiseworthy, regardless of whether they live in the urban or rural areas, so that the standard of living of the people in the rural areas will be at par with that of the people in the city. On the contrary, the livelihood of the people in the kampongs, specially those in Kampong Kembangan, leaves much to be desired.

Kampong Kembangan Constituency is a low-lying area and is easily flooded when it rains. There is no need to wait for the rain to fall throughout the whole day; it suffices if there is a heavy downpour for just one or two hours, and Kampong Kembangan will be flooded. Mr Speaker, Sir, I have raised the matter in this Chamber in December 1965. I quote from Hansard, Volume 24, No. 14, column 823:

'....when the rain falls for a short while, the Kampong Kembangan area is flooded and animals and plants are destroyed. Now is the best time for the Minister for Law and National Development to visit Kampong Kembangan Constituency, because it is now the rainy season, and he will be able to see for himself the condition of the drains in this area.'

Mr Speaker, the earth roads become uneven and are impassable to traffic. The Minister of State on one occasion visited Kampong Kembangan to declare the official opening of National Language Month. He was travelling in a big Jaguar car as though he was travelling in a sampan. When the sun shines, the laterite roads become dusty and the houses, clothing and food are covered with dust. This matter has also been raised by me in December 1965. I quote from Hansard, Vol. 24, No. 14, column 825:

`Now I would like to talk about the roads in Kampong Kembangan which are very bad. You can say that 90 per cent of the roads there are earth roads. When it rains, the roads become muddy...'.

Mr Speaker, the drains become breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The water is stagnant, and during the hot weather rubbish is dumped into the drains.

As Kampong Kembangan is a low-lying area, it follows that the projects required to raise the living standard of the people there would be proportionately higher. But, unfortunately, the funds provided for Kampong Kembangan arc not enough. For this year, the provision for Kampong Kembangan amounts to $60,000 only. Applications have been made repeatedly and during the Prime Minister's tour of the Kampong Kembangan Constituency. Up to now the drains and roads have not been made up yet. The Urban and Rural Services Committee have, on so many occasions, visited the constituency; questions were raised in this House. Nevertheless, the efforts carried out were practically nil. Mr Speaker, Sir, this House has been informed why the roads could not be made up, because the land on both sides of the roads to be made up belongs to private owners. For this reason, the roads were made up under section 19, L.G.I.O., which requires the landowners to pay the cost of making up the roads. On the contrary, there are many roads in Jalan Alsagoff which have been made up according to kampong standards. Even more strange, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development has said - I quote from Hansard, Volume 25, column 114:

`However, as the frontages are not yet well developed, these roads have been given low priority and may not be made up until 1968.'

To cite an example, Mr Speaker, Woo Mun Chew Road and many other roads in Siglap, where the laying of sewers has just been completed, have already been made up; whereas in Kampong Kembangan the laying of sewers was completed two years ago and the roads until today have not been made up.

Mr Speaker, it is obvious that there is discrimination here. The people in the kampong do not get proper or adequate treatment as compared to people who live in the built-up areas.

There are numerous earth drains which are full of grass and unattended to and water is unable to flow. When I referred the matter to the authorities concerned, the District Office passed it on to the P.W.D. which in turn passed the buck to the Work Brigade, and in the end nothing was done.

For example, the large drain at Jalan Ang Teng from Jalan Pagak right up to Jalan Taugeh and finally to Geylang River. I referred the problem to the proper authorities in 1963 for action to be taken to help the residents against the flood menace. When it rains, the vegetable gardens and poultry are ruined by the floods because the water in these drains cannot flow smoothly. A large number of the residents in this area depend for their livelihood on vegetable gardening and poultry rearing. Mr Speaker, the Member for Bukit Merah, who previously resided here, will corroborate what I have said. He has experience of how the residents here are suffering from this big problem. I have already taken up the matter with the responsible authorities. I made a site inspection with the Work Brigade Engineer and later on with a P.W.D. Engineer. I also had occasion to accompany the Secretary, U.R.S.C. But sad to say, the problem has not yet been tackled up to today. Here I fail to see equal treatment to the haves and to the have-nots being practised in the attempt to raise the living standard of the kampong people to the same level as that of the people in the urban areas, about which the Government has been trumpeting so loudly.

7.27 p.m.

Mr Ho Kah Leong: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, regarding the problems raised by the Member for Kampong Kembangan, as representatives from the rural areas we have the same feeling. For example, during the floods last month many places in the kampong areas were flooded. Many vegetable gardens were flooded; poultry died and losses were incurred. The Urban anti Rural Services Committee should pay more attention to these problems and should visit the rural areas. Low-lying areas must be protected from floods. There should be an overall scheme to alleviate the flood situation so that people in the rural areas would not be faced with the menace of floods, because they would incur losses as a result of flooding.

On the other hand, I believe that many rural toads have not been properly made up. They are in a state of disrepair. I do not say that the Government is discriminating against the rural areas. We know that it has treated the rural areas and the urban areas on the same footing and it is trying its best to improve the living conditions of the rural areas. However, because this is the heritage of colonialism, there is a wide gap between the rural areas and the urban areas in living standards. I hope the Urban and Rural Services Committee will provide more funds to the rural areas for their projects.

For example, in the Jurong area only $91,000 has been allotted. Such a tiny sum of money cannot be used to develop that area. Therefore, as a Member from the rural area I have the same feeling. I hope the Urban and Rural Services Committee will increase the funds for projects in the rural areas to enable them to carry out their construction.

Another point is that construction work in the rural areas should be speedily carried out. For example, last October I asked the authorities concerned to repair a toad. But after five months nothing has been done and no reply at all has been given. There is a delay in carrying out construction work in the rural areas. I hope the Minister or the Parliamentary Secretary will pay more attention to the projects which are to be carried out in the rural areas.

7.30 p.m.

Mr Teo Hup Teck (Jalan Kayu): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I share the sentiments expressed by the Member for Kampong Kembangan, because my constituency is also a rural area and I know very well the situation that is generally common in all the rural areas. Fortunately, the Chairman of the Urban and Rural Services Committee is here to listen to what I have to say and do something about it.

I do not say that the Government is discriminatory in its treatment of the urban and rural areas, but there are many things which have to be improved and need carrying out in the rural areas. There are not enough funds to carry out the projects. For instance, the supply of electricity, water and light is not provided in some rural areas because of a lack of funds. Also certain rural roads have been neglected by the Government ever since it came to power. The idea of electing a representative in this House is that he should do something constructive for his constituency. We will be approaching 1968 soon when Members of Parliament will have to stand for election again. The present is a testing period for us. It is, therefore, necessary for us to see that the supply of water, electricity and gas is facilitated.

Mr Speaker: Order. I generally try to give the Minister or Parliamentary Secretary 12 minutes to reply, although there is no fixed rule about it. I, therefore, propose to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development to reply now.

7.32 p.m.

Mr Ho Cheng Choon: Thank you, Mr Speaker, Sir.

There is no doubt that during the last six or seven years, very many development projects have been carried out in Singapore, as anyone can see. In addition to the building of schools, factories and multi-storey flats, electricity and water supplies have been extended to kampong areas, roads have been made up in the kampongs, and street lights have been installed in the kampongs. All these projects have been carried out for the benefit of the kampong people. For projects carried out by the Urban and Rural Services Committee, a total sum of. $22 million had already been spent from 1961 to 1966. Out of this amount, $1 million was spent on Kampong Kembangan as compared with $0.66 million spent on the neighbouring constituency, Geylang Serai. From this figure, it can be seen that Kampong Kembangan Constituency was not neglected,

An hon. Member: What about the other constituencies?

Mr Ho Cheng Choon: Sir, Kampong Kembangan Constituency and Geylang Serai Constituency are below sea level and, therefore, flooding occurs when it rains for a long time. I think there are two methods of alleviating the floods in these areas. The first method is to fill up both these areas, to make them higher than sea level, and the second method is to pump out the flood water from these areas into the sea. However, these two methods are very expensive and virtually impracticable as they would entail the wholesale shifting of houses to allow the work to be done. One method of alleviating the flood is to destroy and clear overgrown vegetation from drains so that storm-waters can flow freely without obstruction. This work is usually carried out by the Work Brigade which, unfortunately, has been reduced in size to some 500 members and they have some other important work to attend to. But I suggest to the Member for Kampong Kembangan that the people in this area can do a lot by self-help and community work ---

Some hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Ho Cheng Choon: --- in the spirit of gotong royong. I will quote one instance. Recently in Choa Chu Kang, the residents of Ama Keng did a very good job of repairing Ama Keng Road (8th m.s. to 9th m.s.).

Sir, Rome was not built in one day. [Interruption] Improvement works in Singapore, in like manner, cannot be completed within a short period. It will take a number of years before all improvement works in Singapore can be completed.

A few Members representing rural constituencies have complained that the funds allocated to the constituencies are insufficient. Sir, the allocation of funds to each constituency was worked out by a Committee of experts ---

An hon. Member: Not so expert!

Mr Ho Cheng Choon: --- and the funds were allocated on the basis of the size of constituency, of population, and so on.

Mr Speaker: Order. The Parliamentary Secretary listened to the two previous speakers on this matter in silence, and I think they and their friends should reciprocate. Mr Ho.

Mr Ho Cheng Choon: So if Members representing rural constituencies feel that the funds allocated to them are insufficient, I would suggest to them to make out a case to the Minister for Finance. If he agrees, my Committee is willing to provide more amenities for the people living in the rural con stituencies. In any case, funds allocated to constituencies have been decided and it is up to hon. Members to make recommendations to the Government on which projects should be carried out first. As soon as the Government receives such a list of priorities, I can assure them that all the projects recommended by them will be carried out.

An hon. Member: But the funds are insufficient!

Mr Teo Hup Teck: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, we are not directing our complaints at the Chairman of the U.R.S.C. We know very well that the Committee has its own difficulties because the funds allocated for the rural areas are insufficient. Our intention is to paint a picture of the general situation in the rural areas for the information of the Chairman of the U.R.S.C., so that he will be able to find some way of resolving the problem. I only hope that this Committee will be able to improve the conditions in rural areas.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: Mr Speaker, Sir, I just want to take up one or two points on what the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Law and National Development has said just now. How is the allocation of funds to constituencies arrived at? I believe there is a scheme whereby such allocation of funds is to be extended over a period of, say, six years. Therefore, if, for example, Kampong Kembangan were to be allocated $90,000 this year ---

An hon. Member: $60,000.

Mr Ng Kah Ting: --- or $60,000 to be more correct, then in 1968, 1969 and 1970, Kampong Kembangan will still get a sum similar to that allocated for this year. I am not trying to support the Parliamentary Secretary, but I am just trying to clarify one point. As it stands over a period of years, I am sure that not only the Constituency of Kampong Kembangan but also the outlying areas wilt ultimately benefit. As was said, "Rome was not built in one day." I am sure that all Members will have beaming faces in this House when, after a period of five years, they can stand up and say, "Well, I have done a good job because over this period of years, big rural development projects have been carried out systematically in my constituency."

Mr Bernard Rodrigues: On a point of clarification. I think the Parliamentary Secretary has not answered the Member for Kampong Kembangan on the question of delayed implementation of the projects that have been agreed upon by the Committee.

Mr Speaker: I think the Parliamentary Secretary has said that he will look into it.

Mr Barker: I think some Members of this House are directing their complaints to the wrong source. It is not the Chairman of the U.R.S.C. who is responsible. It is the Minister for Finance.

Certain funds are allocated every year and they are divided on three basic principles. One, whether the area is rural or urban, or whether it is semi-urban like Tanglin. Two, how many people live in that district? Three, how big is this district? Is it just one square mile like Kreta Ayer or ---

An hon. Member: Tanjong Pagar.

Mr Barker: No, Tanjong Pagar is more than one square mile. Or is it seven square miles like Tanglin? The bigger your area, the more money you get. The more people you have, the more money you get. If you are in the urban area, you do not need much help. If you are in the rural area, you need more help. So with this fixed sum of money, it is not the Chairman of the U.R.S.C. but this committee of experts ---

7.45 p.m.

Mr Speaker: Order. The time appointed, pursuant to an earlier resolution of the House for the termination of this sitting, has arrived.

Mr Speaker adjourned the House without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.

Adjourned accordingly at Fifteen minutes to Eight o'clock p.m.