RECLAMATION (TUAS)

6.29 p.m.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development (Mr Ho Cheng Choon): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the motion* standing in the name of my Minister, as it appears on the Order Paper.

• The motion, standing in the name of the Minister for Law and Home Affairs, and National Development, reads as follows:

That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 270), approves the reclamation by Government of those portions of the foreshores and sea-bed off Tuas, Jurong, containing a total area of approximately 135.9 acres as shown coloured pink on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 4/72" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.

Sir, you will recall that in June this year, this House approved the reclamation of about 974 acres of the foreshore and sea-bed at Tuas, Jurong, by the Jurong Town Corporation to meet the increasing demand for sea-front lands by marine and marine-orientated industries. The Corporation now proposes to reclaim a further 135.9 acres of the foreshore and sea-bed in this area, as shown coloured pink on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 4/72", a copy of which is displayed in the Library of this House for the information of Members. It is proposed to allocate the reclaimed site to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. For ship-repairing and ship-building industries. Negotiations are now taking place between the Economic Development Board, the Development Bank of Singapore and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, for the project to be undertaken as a joint venture at a total initial investment of about $88 million.

The proposed reclamation is expected to be completed by May 1974 at an estimated cost of $12 million. The fill required for this reclamation, about 12 million cubic yards of earth, will be obtained by cutting down nearby hills.

On completion of the reclamation, the reclaimed land will be proclaimed as State land and will be alienated to the Corporation on terms and conditions to be agreed with the Land Office to enable the Corporation to issue subsequently its own sub-lease to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 270), approves the reclamation by Government of those portions of the foreshores and sea-bed off Tuas, Jurong, containing a total area of approximately 135.9 acres as shown coloured pink on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 4 /72" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.