RESETTLEMENT OF SHOPKEEPERS (Compensation and assistance)

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for National Development (a) whether he will enlighten the House on the number of cases of resettlement, particularly of those shopkeepers who have, due to the recession and lack of capital, opted for cash compensation; and (b) whether the same compensation will be given in respect of shophouses which were built before World War II and are of a temporary nature, as for those defined as permanent structures; and, if not, what other assistance is being contemplated.

Mr Lee Yiok Seng (for the Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, again I will answer on behalf of my Minister.

(In Mandarin): There are two parts. In answer to the first part, in 1985 there were 535 or about 15.4% non-residential resettlement cases, ie, traders or businessmen who did not accept alternative accommodation but opted for cash compensation. Among them, there were about 310 shopkeepers. Those who opt for cash compensation need not give their reasons, and therefore the Resettlement Department has no means of knowing whether these people made their decision because of a lack of cash, because of recession, or for other reasons.

To answer the second part, under the current resettlement policy, when non-residential property or commercial pro- perty or permanent structures under rent control are affected by resettlement, they could choose to have either an alternative accommodation or cash compensation. Those who occupy temporary structures can only get reallocation of accommodation; they cannot get cash compensation.