KAMPONG KEMBANGAN (Resettlement Priority)

Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi asked the Minister for National Development and Communications how many families in the Kampong Kembangan Constituency whose premises have been acquired by Government to make way for the Paya Lebar Pan Island Expressway and the extension of Sims Avenue have been given priority in the allocation of Housing and Development Board flats.

Dr Tan Eng Liang (for the Minister for National Development and Communications): Mr Speaker, Sir, the proposed Expressway project affected 272 families within the Kampong Kembangan Constituency. Of these, 182 families are eligible for priority rehousing. Six families undertook to find their own accommodation and 84 families do not qualify for rehousing because of citizenship qualifications and the cut-off date rulings. So far, 25 families were relocated to HDB flats on resettlement priority. The majority of these families were allocated flats at the Bedok New Town. Of the remaining priority families, 157 are waiting for alternative accommodation in the Geylang Serai/Bedok vicinity.

The proposed extension of Sims Avenue involved the resettlement of 235 families in the Kampong Kembangan Constituency. Of these. 181 families are eligible for priority rehousing. 36 families undertook to find their own accommodation while 18 families do not qualify for rehousing either because of citizenship qualifications or because of cutoff date rulings. A total of 133 families were already relocated to HDB flats mainly at Jalan Eunos Estate on resettlement priority. Of the remaining priority cases, 48 families are waiting for alternative accommodation in the Geylang Serai/Bedok vicinity.

Due to the heavy demand for public housing in the Katong/Bedok Zone, it is very unlikely that the remaining families who are eligible for priority rehousing can be given alternative accommodation in the Geylang Serai/Bedok area. They may have to be relocated to Ang Mo Kio where accommodation is adequately available