SEMBAWANG (Reclamation/Dredging Project)

4.33 p.m.

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

Sir, the Jurong Town Corporation proposes to develop about 327 hectares (809 acres) of the land at Sembawang as shown edged purple on the plan marked as "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 3/76", a copy of which is displayed in the Library of this House, for industrial use. The proposed development necessitates the reclamation of about 70 hectares of the foreshores and seabed and parts of Singes Simpang, Sungei Khatib Bongsu and Sungei Seletar as shown coloured yellow on the plan, and the creation of two artificial channels at the mouths of Sungei Simpang and Sungei Seletar to provide additional sea-frontage land for marine and marine-orientated industries, by excavating about 48 hectares of dry land shown coloured blue on the plan. and dredging about 1 27 hectares of the foreshores and seabed shown hatched blue.

This project will cost about $60 million (including reclamation and dredging works) and will take about four years to complete. The necessary fill will be obtained by excavating the dry land and dredging the foreshores and seabed mentioned earlier, as well as by levelling hills in the Sungei Kadut Industrial Estate.

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

Sir, I beg to move.

Question put, and agreed to.

• The motion reads as follows:

That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 270), approves the reclamation by Government of approximately 70.28 hectares of foreshores and seabed coloured yellow and the dredging of approximately 48.19 hectares of land shown coloured blue and dredging of approximately 126.59 hectares of the foreshores and seabed shown hatched blue on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 3/76", which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.

Resolved,

"That this Parliament, in accordance with section 4 of the Foreshores Act (Chapter 2701, approves the reclamation by Government of approximately 70.28 hectares of foreshores and seabed coloured yellow and the dredging of approximately 48.19 hectares of land shown coloured blue and dredging of approximately 126.59 hectares of the foreshores and seabed shown hatched blue on the plan marked "LAND OFFICE RECLAMATION PLAN NO. 3/76", which is deposited in the Land Office, Singapore.