BALLOTING OF HDB FLATS IN BUKIT PURMEI

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for National Development if he will explain the inclusion in the recent balloting for Housing and Development Board flats in Bukit Purmei under the category reserved for members of the public who were not eligible for priority, of applicants whose registration numbers had not been reached whilst others with qualifying numbers were excluded.

Mr Lee Yock Suan (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, I must explain to the Member for Anson that there are some situations where a public applicant would not be due for balloting whereas others with bigger registration numbers would be.

For example, if an applicant applies for Zone X, he would not be included in the balloting for flats in Zone Y, although applicants in the balloting for Zone Y may have bigger registration numbers. Balloting for HDB flats is on a zonal basis. Similarly, if an applicant applies for a three-room flat, he would not be included in the balloting for four-room flats, although again some applicants in the four-room ballot may have bigger registration numbers.

In the ballot for Bukit Purmei held on 21st January, 1982, there was one applicant for a three-room flat who was excluded from the ballot, although his number was smaller than the numbers of other applicants who were included. This applicant was left out at his own request as he had specifically asked for a flat in Bukit Ho Swee where flats were being offered for sale, first to sitting tenants and then to the public should some sitting tenants decline the offer.

There were also three applicants with smaller numbers who were originally on the three-room register but who had transferred to the four-room register under the Multi-tier Family Housing Scheme. These applicants were clearly told and they accepted the condition of the Scheme which stipulates that applicants transferring their applications to bigger flats would be excluded from any ballot within two months of the transfer. The two-month cut-off period is necessary to enable the HDB to finalize the list of qualifying applicants and to make other preparations for the ballot. This condition is clearly stated and has to be accepted by the applicants concerned before their applications for transfer can be considered. As the date of the Bukit Purmei ballot was less than two months from the dates of transfer of the three applicants, they had to be excluded from the ballot.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, I am obliged to the Minister of State, but I have here three numbers which were included. I wonder whether the Minister of State would agree, if I wrote to him about these numbers, to give me detailed answers as to why they were included. These numbers are much higher than the numbers that were being balloted.

Mr Lee Yock Suan: The answer is yes.