HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT BOARD (Location of families in the neighbourhood)

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng asked the Minister for National Development whether the Housing and Development Board has finalized the scheme to enable immediate families to live within the same neighbourhood.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Sir, the HDB presently operates three schemes to enable parents and married children to live near each other.

The Joint Balloting Scheme permits parents and their married children on the waiting list for flats to be given priority in the allocation of adjoining flats or flats within the same estate. Since the introduction of the Scheme in August, 1977, 1,985 families have been allocated flats under the Scheme and another 2,046 applications are awaiting allocation.

Secondly, families which already own HDB flats can take advantage of the Mutual Exchange Scheme to live in the same housing estate. Under this Scheme, lessees can mutually exchange their flats provided one party has occupied the flat for at least five years. Since July 1978 when the Scheme was introduced, 64 families have mutually exchanged fists. To further encourage mutual exchange, the HDB will be reducing the minimum occupancy period from five years to one year.

Thirdly, tenants of HDB rental flats are granted priority for transfer of flats in order to live nearer to their parents or married children. A total of 448 families have taken advantage of the Priority Transfer Scheme for Rental Flats since its implementation in July, 1978.

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng (Tanah Merah): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, would the Minister comment whether the Scheme that is operating now has been successful in bringing immediate families to live close to one another?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Sir, I think the scheme is reasonably successful. From the HDB records a lot of families still have their parents living with them. And this scheme is to enable families with married children who themselves are already separate family units, to live near one another. So the scheme can be considered to be reasonably successful.

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, in his Chinese New Year message, the Prime Minister made certain suggestions on how the HDB could bring the immediate families to live together. Is the HDB considering those suggestions?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Sir, yes, the HDB is considering those suggestions.

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, that brings me back to my original Question: Has the HDB finalized the scheme?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Sir, as regards all the suggestions to bring the families together, whether they come from the Prime Minister, Ministers, Members of Parliament, or members of the public, the HDB has been carefully considering the various schemes. Those schemes that can be implemented immediately, the HDB has implemented them. As for those schemes that need time to formulate or if the schemes may give rise to problems or repercussions, then their implementation will take a longer time because further consideration will have to be given to them.

Dr Lee Chiaw Meng: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, could the Minister give an indication when the scheme as suggested by the Prime Minister would be implemented?

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Sir, the scheme will be implemented when it is ready.