ANTI-SOCIAL PRACTICES IN HOUSING BOARD ESTATES

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Minister for National Development what the Housing and Development Board proposes to do to solve the problem of dirty lifts, as practically every lift in the Board's estates is being soiled by people who relieve themselves in it.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Housing and Development Board takes a very serious view of offences like urinating in the lifts. Except for very young children and those of unsound mind, the HDB will prosecute and evict persons caught relieving themselves in the lifts, even if the culprit is not living in the same estate.

Complete eradication of such anti-social habits requires education of residents. I would like to urge all Residents' Committees to plan education programmes and campaigns against this anti-social behaviour. In the estates where there are such programmes, there has been a noticeable decrease of such complaints.

Dr Tay Eng Soon (River Valley): With Your permission, Sir, I would like to expand on this point about littering in lifts as well as littering outside lifts. As we all know, there is a certain amount of throwing of rubbish from the upper floors of HDB estates. Recently a woman was injured when a tin of water fell on her head. Fortunately she did not die.

In my visits to HDB estates in my constituency this complaint of residents thoughtlessly throwing things down from their flats, thus dirtying clothes that are hung out to dry, has become fairly frequent.

Mr Speaker: Dr Tay, will you phrase your point as a supplementary question, rather than going into a debate?

Dr Tay Eng Soon: Yes, Sir. The question I want to ask is: can the HDB increase the fine, which I understand at present is only $500, so as to make this offence more serious, and also to deter people from such unsocial acts?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Sir, I think we may have to change the law if we want to increase the fine. Under the Environmental Public Health Act the maximum fine is $500 for throwing rubbish or littering. So to increase the fine, we have to amend the law.

Dr Wan Soon Bee (West Coast): Sir, the question of anti-social behaviour is one of the problems. The other problem is that there are no toilets in the void decks. I wonder if the Minister will consider building some toilets in the void decks?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: I think the same request was raised by the Member for Radin Mas yesterday in this House. To build a toilet in every void deck is very costly and it is also very costly to maintain. At present HDB is building kiosks with toilets in some of the void decks where a small kiosk is provided for the selling of newspapers and sweets. Though these toilets are not available in every block, they can be found in several places. I hope the provision of this facility will reduce this anti-social habit.

Mr Rohan bin Kamis: Sir, it is heartening to hear that the Hon. Minister will evict any residents of HDB flats who relieve themselves in the lift. What would the ruling be if it is found that the residents' pets have been urinating in the lifts? Is he going to consider evicting the pets?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: We will look into the circumstances. Most probably the owner will not be allowed to keep the pet, as it shows that the owner is not able to properly look after his pet.