YISHUN NEW TOWN (Development)

Dr Koh Lip Lin asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many units of flats will be completed in Yishun New Town by the end of 1981, 1982 and 1983, respectively; (b) when the projected total of 40,000 flats will be completed; and (c) how many families and persons have so far been resettled to make way for the development of Yishun New Town and how many more will be resettled.

Mr Lee Yock Suan (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the number of flats to be completed in Yishun New Town in 1981, 1982 and 1983 are 752, 832 and 1,564 respectively. The projected total of 40,000 flats in Yishun New Town will be completed by 1990.

A total of 1,151 families and 48 non-residential cases have so far been resettled to make way for the development of Yishun New Town. The remaining 1,000 families and 80 non-residential cases will be cleared within the next two years.

Dr Koh Lip Lin: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask the Hon. Minister of State for National Development whether his Ministry will consider an increase in the rate of compensation to the resettlement cases whenever there is an increase in the prices of HDB flats.

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Sir, the answer is that the Ministry will review the problem periodically.

Mr Tang See Chim: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, would the Minister be prepared to peg it in percentage terms to the increase in prices of HDB flats, like an index?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: The answer is "No".

Mr Tang See Chim: Sir, can the Minister give the reasons why the answer is "No"?

The Minister for National Development (Mr Teh Cheang Wan): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, if you look at the compensation for resettlement, it covers hundreds of items. Housing is one. When a squatter's house is demolished, he gets compensation. I would say that it may be fair to index the compensation for a squatter's house to an HDB flat. But I do not think it is fair to index, say, rambutan trees, durian trees and vegetable farms to HDB flats.

Mr Tang See Chim: In which case, Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, is the Minister prepared to index the compensation for the structure to the increase in prices of HDB flats?

Mr Deputy Speaker: Mr Teh, you need not reply if you do not wish to because the supplementary question is getting a little bit out of context to the original question.

Mr Teh Cheang Wan: Yes, Sir. I just want to say that the answer has been given earlier.