KAKI BUKIT ESTATE (Summonses under State Lands Encroachments Act)

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for National Development why his Ministry had served summonses under the State Lands Encroachments Act on occupiers of properties in the Kaki Bukit estate before they were allocated alternative accommodation.

Mr Lee Yock Suan (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, I must point out that when State lands or acquired lands are to be developed, the Resettlement Department has to follow prescribed legal requirements and procedures to clear the land. The hon. Member for Kaki Bukit has previously raised this matter with my Ministry. He has been told the reasons for this legal process and he has reassured the affected residents in his constituency that the Government's intention is not to inconvenience them or to evict the eligible residents before alternative accommodation is available.

However, for the benefit of the Member for Anson, who appears ignorant of the legal requirements, I shall now describe the various steps in the clearance process.

Notices to Remove or Notices to Quit are first issued against squatters on the land. These are formal notices to the squatters that they have to vacate the site. Upon expiry of the notices, legal action has to be instituted under the State Lands Encroachments Act for the issuance of summonses. However, the squatters need not attend court in person to answer the charge of unlawful occupation of State land if they plead guilty by means of a standard written statement supplied by the Resettlement Department which provides assistance and advice to the squatters to complete this legal process unless they wish to contest the charges in court. Invariably more than 90% of the squatters follow this procedure and are therefore not inconvenienced. 3.30 p.m.

Mr Speaker: Mr Lee, time is up. I think you had better send your reply (Transferred to Written Answers to Questions, No. 6, Cols. 197-8) to the Member for Anson.