TREES AND PLANTS (PRESERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF AMENITIES) BILL

Order for Second Reading read.

7.33 p.m.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Govindasamy, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time."

The provisions of the Bill now before this House are in accordance with the Government policy of beautifying Singapore and making it into a Garden City.

The objects of the Bill are twofold.

Firstly, the Bill seeks to restrict the felling and cutting of any tree with a girth exceeding five feet when measured two feet from the ground. However, this restriction is not as wide as may be imagined, as it generally applies only to a tree growing on vacant or relatively undeveloped land. Although the Minister is given the power to designate other lands to which the restriction may apply, this power will be used only in exceptional circumstances. It is certainly not the general intention that the owner of a private dwelling house should be prohibited from cutting or felling a tree growing in his private garden. It should be noted that three conditions must be satisfied before the restriction as to felling or cutting can apply:

(1) The tree must be more than five feet in girth.

(2) The tree must be growing on vacant land as defined in the Bill or otherwise on any land designated by the Minister by order published in the Gazette.

(3) The felling or cutting of the tree does not fall within the two specified exceptions, that is to say, the prevention of imminent danger or compliance with any statutory obligation.

Having regard to these conditions, the restriction is in effect quite narrow in scope and is really directed against private developers from indiscriminately destroying the large trees growing on undeveloped land. It may be added that even if the restriction applies to a particular tree, permission can be granted to fell or cut it where there are satisfactory reasons for doing so.

Secondly, the Bill provides for the service of a notice on the occupier of any land adjoining or abutting or near to a designated public road requiring him to clear the land of weeds or overgrown grass or to plant such trees and plants as are specified in the notice. This provision again does not extend to the occupier of every land but can only apply to the occupiers of those lands which are adjacent or near to such public roads as the Minister may designate. The provision is considered necessary in order to strengthen the hand of the authorities in the task of preserving and enhancing the amenities of lands which are close to our main highways. Provision is made for an occupier on whom a notice has been served to appeal to the Minister. However, non-compliance with a notice does not attract any penal sanction, but instead the Superintendent of Trees and Plants, who is to be appointed under the Bill, is empowered to take the necessary measures to comply with the terms of the notice and to recover the costs and expenses of such measures from the occupier. It will, however, be an offence for any person wilfully to damage or remove any tree or plant which has been planted pursuant to any notice.

It can be seen, therefore, that the Bill does not interfere unreasonably with the right of the individual to regulate his own house or garden, and Members may be assured that the provisions of the Bill will be administered reasonably, having regard to the interests of the community as well as the individual.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question proposed.

7.37 p.m.

Mr Teong Eng Siong: (In Mandarin): Mr Govindasamy, Sir, I believe that Members in this House are aware that over the past few years many trees have been cut down because of urban renewal or other forms of development that have been taking place in Singapore. As a result, the number of trees in the city is decreasing from year to year.

Sir, we are living in the tropics. It is, therefore, essential that we have enough trees and plants because they will regulate our rather dry and hot climate. Their presence will freshen the air, thereby promoting better health among our people.

The introduction of this Bill is a follow-up of our campaign to keep Singapore clean and green. This Bill will protect trees and plants in our Republic. Over the past few years we have been launching campaigns to keep Singapore green, and these have been receiving great support from our people, for example, in my Sembawang constituency where there has been a tremendous response from my constituents. Over the past few months the Citizens' Consultative Committee in my constituency and the Management Committees of the People's Association have concertedly launched a tree-planting campaign. As a result of these efforts, many shops and private houses have trees and plants around them. In public places, too, trees have been planted, thereby enhancing the beauty of the surroundings.

Mr Govindasamy, Sir, because of this "Keep Singapore Green" campaign, we have a shortage of horticulturists and of young plants. A lack of experienced personnel to look after the plants has caused a lot of these plants to wither and die. Furthermore, a lack of personnel with expertise in planting trees has also given rise to the wrong method of planting them. It is agreed that we have a shortage of horticulturists to advise others on how to plant trees and flowers, and I do not know whether the Government or the Minister concerned has any plans to train more people.

I have also noted that in certain crowded areas, such as Bras Basah Road, the traffic conditions are generally appalling during peak hours, resulting in traffic jams. In spite of the shortage of space in such areas, trees are being planted. They take up a lot of space in a very crowded area. One tree takes up at least 10 square feet of space, and the presence of trees in these crowded areas will only aggravate traffic conditions. I wonder whether the officers concerned have given due consideration before planting trees in these busy areas and public roads.

Sir, no doubt trees are being planted with good intentions, as they will beautify our environment and refresh the air. With the success of this "Keep Singapore Green" campaign, we have no doubt that Singapore will become a garden city in the true sense of the word. In this way we will be able to attract more tourists to our garden city. They will go back to their own countries and give us favourable publicity. The "Keep Singapore Green" campaign will therefore contribute in no small measure to our economic development.

I fully support the Bill.

Mr Barker: I am glad to see that the Member for Sembawang is also interested in keeping his constituency clean and beautiful. If he or any member of his constituency, or of his Citizens' Consultative Committee, or of the People's Action Party branch in Sembawang is interested in training courses on planting trees, then he should make application to the Ministry of National Development which runs such courses for the benefit of those who do not know much about shrubs or flowers. These courses have been running for more than six months now, and perhaps this is the first time the Member has heard about it.

As for the trees in Bras Basah Road, I would advise him to stick to his problems in Sembawang and leave the problems in Bras Basah to the Member for Bras Basah. There have been trees planted on one side of Bras Basah Road but they have not hindered traffic. They are not really huge or large trees; they are pom-pom trees planted on one side of the road. If they grow too big, they can be chopped off or trimmed.

Question put, and agreed to.

Bill accordingly read a Second time-and committed to a Committee of the whole House.

The House immediately resolved itself into a Committee on the Bill. - [Mr Barker].

Bill considered in Committee; reported without amendment; read a Third time and passed.