RECLAMATION AT PULAU ULAR, PULAU BUKOM KECHIL AND PULAU BUKOM BESAR

5.42 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 reads as follows:

That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 270), approves

(a) the reclamation of Pulau Ular of 77.70 acres as shown coloured orange and marked Z' on the plan marked LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 4/74", which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore;

(b) the reclamation of a total of approximately 48.64 acres of the foreshore and seabed at Pulau Bukom Kechil as shown coloured pink and grey and marked P' and Y' respectively on the same plan; and

(c) the construction of the various foreshore structures on Pulau Ular, Pulau Bukom Kechil and Pulau Bukom Besar as shown coloured blue, brown (marked Q', R', 5', U', V' and X') and purple (marked `T') respectively on the same plan.

Sir, Messrs. Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte) Ltd. is embarking on a $600 million expansion project at Pulau Bukom Besar and Pulau Bukom Kechil. The project provides, inter alia, for the construction of a Chemical Complex to manufacture aromatic chemicals, i.e, benzene, toulene and xylene together with storage and loading facilities. It will be undertaken in two phases over a period of three years and is expected to provide employment for some 3,000 workers and on its completion, permanent employment to some 200 persons.

Due to the magnitude of the proposed complex and the limited land area available on the two islands, it is proposed to reclaim approximately 77.70 acres around Pulau Ular as shown coloured orange and marked Z' on the plan marked as "LAND OFFICE REXCLAMATION PLAN NO. 4/74", a copy of which is displayed in the Library of this House for the information of hon. Members. Pulau Ular, located north-west of Pulau Bukom Besar, is actually a submerged reef with two visible islets as shown coloured green on the plan. One-third of the fill for this reclamation will be obtained from hillocks in Pulau Bukom Besar whilst the remaining two-thirds and granite blocks will be obtained from Pulau Ubin. The reclamation, which is scheduled to commence in mid-1975 and to be completed in January, 1978, is expected to cost about $15 million. Ancillary to this reclamation, three fore-shore structures - a bridge connecting Pulau Ular with Pulau Bukom Besar, a jetty to berth tankers at the northern end of Pulau Ular and a material ramp will be constructed at Pulau Ular. These structures are shown coloured blue on the plan.

On the recommendation of the Head, Anti-Pollution Unit, an impounding basin to provide anti-pollution measures on both Pulau Bukom Besar and Pulau Bukom Kechil (in view of the large crude oil storage capacity on these islands) was constructed on an urgent basis in Pulau Bukom Kechil by reclaiming about 20.60 acres of the fore-shore and seabed at the island as shown coloured pink and marked P' on the plan. It is now proposed to reclaim another 28.04 acres of the foreshore and seabed at Pulau Bukom Kechil as shown coloured grey and marked Y' on the plan for siting of additional oil tanks. Fill for this reclamation will be obtained from site clearings on Pulau Bukom Besar. The reclamation which will commence at the end of this year is expected to take about a year to complete at an estimated cost of $2.2 million.

Mr Speaker, Sir, due to the need to provide urgently essential ancillaries to the refinery operations, the following structures were constructed on Pulau Bukom Besar without first obtaining Parliamentary approval under section 4 of the Foreshores Act: -

(a) Vehicle Landing Ramp (marked `Q' on the plan);

(b) Pipe tracks from Wharf 3 to Wharf 6 (marked `T');

(c) Second Bridge between Pulau Bukom Besar and Pulau Bukom Kechil (marked `R');

(d) Materials Jetty Landing Ramp (marked `S'). Covering approval of this House is now sought for the construction of these structures.

On completion of the reclamation, the reclaimed land will be proclaimed as State land and alienated to Shell on terms and conditions to be agreed with the Commissioner of Lands.

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 -

(a) the reclamation of Pulau Ular of 77.70 acres as shown coloured orange and marked `Z' on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE REXCLAMATION PLAN NO. 4/74", which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore;

(b) the reclamation of a total of approximately 48.64 acres of the fore-shore and seabed at Pulau Bukom Kechil as shown coloured pink and grey and marked P' and Y' respectively on the same plan; and

(c) the construction of the various fore-shore structures on Pulau Ular, Pulau Bukom Kechil and Pulau Bukom Besar as shown coloured blue, brown (marked Q', R', S', U', V' and X') and purple (marked `T') respectively on the same plan.