MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS

DR YEO NING HONG Minister for Communications

Air Transport

We aim to maintain Changi Airport's reputation as one of the best airports in the world. With the opening of Terminal 2 in November 1990, Changi can now serve 24 million passengers a year. Planning for Terminal 3 has started. This will increase capacity by 12 million passengers.

Sea Transport

We must retain our premier status as the world's busiest port. Construction of the second container terminal at Pulau Brani is on schedule. We have started building a container freight station at Nelson Road. When completed in 1993, it will boost our position as a regional cargo distribution centre. By end 1991, the Singapore Cruise Centre will be ready, helping to make Singapore the cruise gateway to the Asia-Pacific.

Telecommunications

Telecoms will be privatised in 1992. It will be the first statutory board to sell shares to the public.

We will commence a trial project to lay optical fibre cables to homes in selected areas, as a first step towards an all-fibre local telecommunications network. We will complete digitalizing the local network by 1994.

The Teleview system launched last year is a national infrastructure to help raise productivity and improve our international competitiveness. We will strive to make Teleview services as widely available as possible.

A new mail and parcel sorting centre will be built at Jalan Eunos by 1995 to improve mail services.

Land Transport

We will keep traffic on our roads free-flowing. We will create opportunities for as many Singaporeans as possible to own cars, while minimising congestion. We will implement the Weekend Car Scheme in mid-1991. The more sophisticated Electronic Road Pricing System will be introduced towards the middle of the decade. It will price congestion more fairly and accurately, thus allowing more people to own cars.

We will extend the MRT to Woodlands. Work will begin this year, and be completed within 5 to 7 years. The extension will connect the Yishun and Chua Chu Kang stations via Woodlands New Town. There will be six stations along the 16 km route. Residents of Woodlands will find it easier and faster to travel to Jurong and to the city. Yishun residents will also have a shorter route to Jurong.

Eventually, the bus and MRT networks will be completely integrated. This will offer commuters more convenient access to the MRT, and save costs over the longer term.