HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD HOUSING ESTATES (Organisation of residents' associations)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr J. F. Conceicao asked the Minister for Defence to what extent the People's Association has encouraged the organisation of residents' associations in Housing and Development Board housing estates.

The Minister for Defence (Mr Lim Kim San): Mr Speaker, Sir, organising residents' associations in Housing and Development Board housing estates is not a function of the People's Association whose main objective is the organisation and development of community centres in all the constituencies in the Republic. The People's Association, in liaison with the management committees of the various community centres, initiates and supervises the activities in the centres. However, where residents in Housing and Development Board estates have problems to raise with the Housing and Development Board authorities, they can make representations through the Citizens' Consultative Committee in their estates. Incidentally, the Citizens' Consultative Committees come under the portfolio of the Prime Minister.

Up to now, there has been close and successful liaison through the C.C.C, between the Housing and Development Board and residents in the following estates, namely, Henderson Road, Bukit Merah, Toa Payoh, Kallang, Kampong Java and Tiong Bahru estates.