PRE-FABRICATED FLATS (Construction)

Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi asked the Minister for National Development if he will report on the progress of the flat construction schemes by the pre-fabrication methods, stating whether the schemes are progressing as scheduled and the number and time of completion by various zones that are served by the pre-fabrication schemes.

The Minister of State for National Development (Mr Lee Yock Suan) (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, the HDB has awarded four prefabrication contracts totalling $2 billion for the construction of 52,000 flats. These will be completed in batches over the next five years, starting from this year. The flats are located mainly in Bukit Batok, Jurong West, Tampines, Yishun and Woodlands New Towns.

All the contracts are progressing on schedule. The first blocks of prefabricated flats are expected to be completed in Tampines New Town by June this year.

More than half of the prefabricated flats awarded will be completed by 1985. About 3,700 units will be ready by the end of 1983. Another 11,500 and 12,700 units will be completed in 1984 and 1985 respectively.

Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi: Sir, will the Minister of State be able to say that the techniques and system used in the prefabrication projects will ensure that the seepage problem, a notorious phenomenon in most pre-fabrication schemes, will not crop up, and if it does crop up, there are sufficient measures to ensure that the seepage problem is minimized?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Mr Speaker, Sir, this and other aspects of the pre-fabrication method have been carefully studied by the HDB architects and engineers together with consultants and contractors. We are reasonably sure that leakage will not occur. But, of course, if it does occur, then remedial action will have to be taken.

Encik Mansor Haji Sukaimi: If the problem does arise, and if remedial measures are taken, who will bear the cost of such remedial measures?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Mr Speaker, Sir, as I said, we do not think the seepage will occur, So let us cross the bridge when we come to it.