PEOPLE'S PARK COMPLEX (Complaint of floor vibration)

Mr Ho See Beng asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether he is aware of a complaint of floor vibration on the second storey of the People's Park Complex by a number of stall-holders; (b) if he is aware that, although the matter has been brought to the attention of the Director of Building Control Division since May 1978, no action has been taken to remedy the defect despite danger of the collapse of the second floor: and (c) if he will ascertain from the Director the outcome of his investigation which he had promised to convey to the complainants in his letter reference B/09/114/73 dated 25th September, 1978.

The Minister for National Development (Mr Teh Cheang Wan): Mr Speaker, Sir, on 24th May, 1978, stallholders complained to the Building Control Division (BCD) about the floor vibration. After inspecting the site on 31st May, one week after the complaint, the Building Control Division requested the developer of People's Park Complex to investigate and submit a report. In spite of reminders, it was only in late October 1978 that the developer informed BCD that the vibration was caused by the unbalanced cooling tower fans on the podium roof and that he had commissioned his engineering consultants to rectify the defect. He attributed the delay to problems encountered with his consultants.

BCD inspected the site again in December 1978 and reminded the developer to speed up the works. In February 1979, the developer informed BCD that he had ordered spare parts from the United States as stocks were not available in Singapore. Repairs are expected to be completed by May 1979. These vibrations do not cause any danger to the occupants or to the building.

Far from being inactive, the BCD has been pressing the developer and will continue to do so until the repairs are completed.

Mr Ho See Beng: Mr Speaker, Sir, why was all this communication between the Building Control Division and the developer not conveyed to the stallholders? They have been kept in the dark all this time.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Speaker, Sir, the stallholders' complaint was about the vibration and BCD wanted to ascertain from the developer the actual position before replying. It is not good enough for the developer to say, "We will investigate it." I think the stallholders would not be happy with such a reply which is more or less not a reply.