RECLAMATION (PASIR PANJANG)

2.38 p.m.

The Minister for Law and National Development (Mr E. W. Barker): Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move the motion* standing in my name, as it appears on the Order Paper.

• The motion, standing in the name of the Minister for Law 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 that portion of the foreshore and seabed at Pasir Panjang containing an area of approximately 102 acres as shown edged in purple on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 3 /73" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.

This is the Third Phase of the reclamations planned for Pasir Panjang. Members will recall that, at its sitting on 30th July, 1971, this House approved the reclamation of about 91 acres of the foreshore and seabed at Pasir Panjang as shown edged red on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 3/73", a copy of which is displayed in the Library of this House for the information of Members. Subsequently, on 26th October, 1972, the reclamation of another 25 acres of the area shown edged green on the plan was also approved.

Both reclamations are being undertaken by the Port of Singapore Authority as agent of the Government, using surplus earth from the Telok Blangah new town site. Owing to engineering difficulties encountered in the area edged red and the presence of squatters in the area edged green, the Port of Singapore Authority was able to complete the reclamation of only 64 acres (47 acres within the area edged red and 17 acres within the area edged green) out of the total of 116 acres so far approved under the Foreshores Act, leaving about 52 acres yet to he reclaimed. Meanwhile, the Port of Singapore Authority, faced by the need to urgently remove earth from the Housing Board's Telok Blangah new town preparatory site in order not to delay the construction of Housing Board flats the demand for which considerably exceeds the supply, has been forced to dump fill in that part of the foreshore and seabed shown hatched red within the area shown edged purple on the plan. Approval of this House is now sought to regularise the reclamation done so far, as well as to provide for the reclamation of an additional area within the area edged purple. This will give time for the problems (squatters and engineering difficulties) to be overcome when the reclamation of the remaining 52 acres already approved where reclamation works have been held up, can be completed.

The area edged purple, when reclaimed, will he developed for recreational purposes in accordance with Singapore's Concept Plan.

Mr Speaker, 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 that portion of the foreshore and seabed at Pasir Panjang containing an area of approximately 102 acres as shown edged in purple on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 3/73" which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.