LORONG 8, TOA PAYOH (Request for tennis and squash facilities)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Ivan Baptist asked the Prime Minister whether the People's Association will request from the Housing and Development Board the landscaped area at the gable-end of Block 222, Lorong 8, Toa Payoh, to be utilised for building a community centre mainly for tennis and squash activities as at present no mich facilities are handy for the people in the ama, especially the Lorong 8 residents.

The Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr Lee Khoon Choy) (for the Prime Minister): Mr Speaker, Sir, it is not the policy of People's Association to build community centres mainly for tennis and squash activities. Community centres are meant to cater for the social, educational and recreational needs of the people.

The site referred to by the hon. Member is in Neighbourhood 4, Toa Payoh, which has about 1,400 units of 4-room and 5-room flats.

The People's Association has at present no plan to build a now community centre at Lorong 8 as Potong Pasir Constituency is already served by the Sennett and Potong Pasir Community Centres. The present size of the population in this neighbourhood is too small to warrant a new centre. The needs of the residents in Lorong 8 am, however, well catered for by the facilities including tennis and squash courts at the Sennett Community Centre. They can also avail themselves of the facilities at three new community centres, namely, Boon Teck, Whampoa and Kim Keat just 1 to 2 km away in the neighbouring constituencies.

Mr Ivan Baptist (Potong Posir): Sir, does the Senior Minister of State not realise that the three community centres near the vicinity mentioned do not provide for tennis and squash facilities, and that the Sennett Community Centre is more than 4 km away from Lorong 8, Toa Payoh?

Mr Lee Khoon Choy: Sir, the new Kim Keat Community Centre which was completed in December 1977 is only 1 km away. Within the same distance, the well-equipped Whampoa and Boon Teck Community Centres will be completed in a few months' time. These centres have tennis and squash facilities.

Dr Augustine H.H. Tan (Whampoa): Sir, does the Senior Minister of State realise that the new Whampoa Community Centre will have only one squash court to cater for 19,000 voters?

Mr Lee Khoon Choy: Sir, with the very limited resources available, it is not possible to provide squash courts for every constituency. Community centres are not meant only for the residents of that constituency. If there is a community centre nearby, all the residents around, irrespective of any constituency, should make good use of the centre.

Mr Ivan Baptist: Sir, would the Senior Minister of State consider asking the Potong Pasir Constituency to raise resources for building a squash court?

Mr Lee Khoon Choy: Thank you very much for the voluntary service.

Mr Ivan Baptist: Sir, that still does not answer my question. I would like my question answered. We could provide the resources. Could the People's Association get the Housing and Development Board to provide us with the land?

Mr Lee Khoon Choy: The People's Association does not provide land.

Mr Ivan Baptist: If the HDB could provide the land to the People's Association, we will build the squash court.

Mr Lee Khoon Choy: If the hon. Member can tell us the particular piece of land if it is available, we will approach the Land Office.