RESETTLEMENT BENEFITS (Claim of residence)

Haji Rahmat bin Kenap asked the Minister for National Development whether the Housing and Development Board will consider the early resettlement of those illiterate residents, who have been living for many years in a house now affected by redevelopment but whose addresses on their identity cards remain unchanged or have been changed recently although the street name had long ago been changed, as there has been a long delay in dealing with such cases.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Speaker, Sir, our resettlement policy entitles residents, who have been staying at a clearance site on or before the resettlement eligibility cut-off date, to resettlement benefits. This was relaxed recently to allow persons who moved into acquired land after the cut-off date and have continuously resided on the land for at least three years as at the appointed date of census to be eligible as well. The cut-off date is the first day of census for State Land or the date of Gazette Notification for acquired private land. Those who fail to change the addresses on their identity cards or change them only after the cut-off date can submit other documents to substantiate their claims of residence for consideration.