HOLLAND ROAD 5 m.s. (Construction of new market)

Mr Lee Teck Him asked the Minister for Health whether any provision has been or will be made for the construction of a new market at the 5th mile area in Holland Road and when construction will commence.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, no provision has been made to build a new market in the 5th mile area of Holland Road.

A submission has been made under this Ministry's 1968 development proposals to build an extension to the existing market at Holland Village. But the proposal has been accorded low priority and no funds have so far been provided.

Mr Lee Teck Him: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, who is responsible for this mistake? The former Minister for Health said that a new market would be built in the 5th mile area of Holland Road. That was long ago. Perhaps the present Minister for Health is not aware of it. I will write a formal letter to the Minister for Health inviting him to visit the area to see for himself whether a market is urgently required there.

Mr Speaker: I do not think that calls for a reply unless the Minister wants to reply.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker. Sir, it is not that I do not sympathise with the Member for Ulu Pandan. In fact, if he had listened very carefully to the answer that I just made, my Ministry did make a submission in the 1968 Development Estimate proposals to build an extension to the existing market. But as Members know, the Minister for Finance has said that, in view of the economic stringencies, we will have to exercise some restraint with regard to some of these projects. That is why this proposal has been accorded low priority.

Mr Speaker, Sir, may I also supply some facts to the Member for Ulu Pandan? First of all, it is not necessary for me to visit the market because I already did so during the "Keep Singapore Clean" campaign in October this year - maybe without the knowledge of the Member. There are at the moment 16 vacant stalls in the market proper and also 27 vacant open pitches in that area. They have not been filled as action to clear the hawkers from this area has not yet been taken. It is expected that when the island-wide census of hawkers gets under way and action is taken to make this constituency a cleared area, the vacant stalls and pitches can be filled. The rapid growth of many private housing estates in the Holland area from the 4 m.s, to the 7 m.s, will justify the extension -

Mr Speaker: Order. The Minister is answering a supplementary question that has not been asked.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: I am just volunteering some information to the Member for Ulu Pandan.

Mr Speaker: Order. The Clerk will now read the Orders of the Day.