RESETTLEMENT AT KAKI BUKIT (Particulars)

Encik Saidi Haji Shariff asked the Minister for National Development (a) the total number of families and persons to be resettled to make way for the development of Kaki Bukit Estate; (b) how many of them have so far been resettled by accepting alternative accommodation in Housing and Development Board flats under resettlement priority; (c) when the resettlement of the rest of the affected families and persons will be completed; and (d) whether they will all be allocated flats in the estate they have applied for under resettlement priority.

Mr Lee Yock Suan (for the Minister for National Development): Sir, a total of 1,425 families have to be resettled to make way for the development of Kaki Bukit Estate.

To-date, 205 families have been allocated HDB flats under resenlement priority.

Resettlement of all affected families is expected to be completed by 1983.

Wherever possible, the HDB will allocate to affected families flats in the estate of their choice. However, this is not always possible because of the limited supply of flats. In such instances, the HDB will try to allocate flats close to the estate of their choice.

Encik Saidi Haji Shariff: Sir, may I ask the Hon. Minister of State for National Development if he is aware that these affected families and persons who have not yet been resettled are living in constant anxiety and fear of whether they will be allocated flats in the estate of their choice and, in particular, at the current selling prices of flats. This feeling of anxiety and fear becomes worse whenever the Minister for National Development makes an announcement of price increases during his house-to-house visits.

May I take this opportunity to ask the Minister of State whether he could give an assurance that steps will be taken to ensure that these affected families will be allocated flats before any announcement of price increases or, alternatively, not to increase the price of flats until they are allocated their flats.

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Ministry and the HDB are fully aware of the anxieties which I think all the resettled families must be facing, and we fully sympathize with them. It is not that the HDB wants to increase prices. It is because of the rising cost of construction that HDB is forced to increase prices correspondingly.

As I have said earlier, in answer to one of the questions, the only way to control prices is to control costs and the HDB is doing its very best to try and do this. There is simply no way we can assure buyers, ahead of time, that the cost will be within a certain range. All I can say is that the situation has improved considerably and that, as compared to previous years, the future increases are likely to be moderate.

Encik Saidi Haji Shariff: Sir, the Minister of State is aware that the affected families do not make a voluntary choice to purchase flats. Can I ask for an assurance that they will get their flats at the present selling prices?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Sir, there is no way we can give this assurance. I think the resettled families are in a similar position as other buyers. The fact that they have been resettled means that they are given priority to choose flats. But there is no assurance that flats will not increase in price. There is no way we can assure that.

Mr Tang See Chim: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, once resettlement is announced, surely the HDB must have a sufficient number of flats to allocate to those who are affected. Would the Minister of State give an assurance that the HDB would not announce a resettlement unless they have a sufficient number of flats to allocate to those people affected? It is really not fair to announce a resettlement and then take a long time to allocate flats. Most of the people who are affected are allocated flats at a certain price while the remainder are allocated flats at a different price. As the hon. Member for Kaki Bukit has pointed out, after all, it is not on their own volition that they want to buy HDB flats.

Mr Lee Yock Suan: The answer to the first part is yes. As far as possible, the HDB will try and make sure that there are available flats before they proceed with resettlement of families. But the complication is that some of the resettled families prefer certain areas and sometimes they do not want the flats which are available. So they end up with long waiting periods.