JALAN KAYU CONSTITUENCY (Applications for erection of new houses)

Mr Teo Hup Teck asked the Minister for Law and National Development the number of applications for the erection of new houses in the Jalan Kayu Constituency received between 1st January, 1965, and 30th April, 1967, and the outcome of the applications.

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, Sir, the number of applications for the erection of new houses in the Jalan Kayu Constituency received between 1st January, 1965, and 30th April, 1967, and the outcome of the applications are as follows:-

A. Erection of permanent houses

Total number of applications received - 11 involving erection of 686 houses.

Number of applications approved - 6 involving erection of 179 houses.

Number of applications disapproved -3 involving erection of 81 houses.

Number of applications under consideration -2 involving erection of 426 houses.

B. Erection of temporary dwellings

Total number of applications received - 81 involving erection of 81 temporary dwellings.

Number of applications approved - 59 involving erection of 59 temporary dwellings.

Number of applications disapproved - 19 involving erection of 19 temporary dwellings.

Number of applications withdrawn - 3 involving erection of 3 temporary dwellings.

Mr Teo Hup Teck: (In Mandarin): A supplementary question. Is the Minister aware that whenever rural people apply for the erection of houses, they meet with difficulties and inconvenience? And whenever law-abiding citizens apply according to regulations or through the assistance of Members of Parliament, they have to wait for several months or even up to one year? And even then they cannot get permits to erect their houses. In other cases, certain houses -

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture (Mr Fong Sip Chee): Point of order, Sir,I think the Member for Jalan Kayu has gone beyond the bounds of a question. He is making a speech.

Mr Speaker: Mr Fong, in view of Mr Teo's recent entry into the House, I was giving a little time for his question to develop before I pulled him up. Mr Teo, could you make your supplementary a question and not a statement?

Mr Teo Hup Teck: (In Mandarin): At Meet-the-People sessions, I have received some complaints from the rural folk. Because the P.A.P. Government is a clean government, corruption is not allowed.

Mr Speaker: Order. You have asked the Minister a question and he has given a reply. If there is anything in the reply that makes you want to ask a further question, please do so. The Standing Orders do not allow me to let you make a statement or a speech at this stage.

Mr Teo Hup Teck: (In Mandarin): Sir, the Government will depend on the reports of the inspectors to assess any application for the erection of a house. Normally these inspectors will go through the timber merchants or contractors and builders

Mr Speaker: Mr Teo, do you seek any further information or do you want the Minister to take any particular action?

Mr Barker: Mr Speaker, in reply to the hon. Member for Jalan Kayu, if he has any complaints of delay by the Building Department or corruption, then he should refer them to the Ministry concerned or send them direct to me so that I can direct an investigation. But coming here to make general observations will not help anyone.

Mr Speaker: Does that meet the point you are going to raise in the question that you are going to ask, Mr Teo?

Mr Teo Hup Teck: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, in view of the Standing Orders, I would like to get a full report from the Minister later on.