ANG MO KIO ESTATE (Building of more 5-room and executive flats)

Mr Yeo Toon Chia asked the Acting Minister for National Development, in view of the relatively low percentage of 5-room and executive flats in Ang Mo Kio Housing Estate, if his Ministry will consider building more such flats on some of the vacant plots of land in Ang Mo Kio Estate.

Mr Matthias Yao Chih (for the Acting Minister for National Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, in the last balloting exercise for mature estates in the first quarter of 1995, HDB offered a total of 399 5-room and Executive flats in Ang Mo Kio. The vacant plots of land in Ang Mo Kio are earmarked for various purposes. HDB has no plans at present to build any more new flats in Ang Mo Kio unless it is able to secure more sites for public housing.

Mr Yeo Toon Chia: Sir, will the Minister consider to develop the following plots of land which have been vacant for many years:

(1) vacant land in front of the mosque along Avenue 3;

(2) vacant land opposite Block 150 along Avenue 5;

(3) vacant land opposite the market at Block 226 along Street 22;

(4) vacant land next to Townsville Primary School along Street 32 and Avenue 8.

Mr Matthias Yao Chih: Sir, all the various pieces of land mentioned by Mr Yeo have been earmarked for various purposes, for example, schools. But in view of his vigorous demands and requests for more public housing to be built in Ang Mo Kio, I shall ask HDB to work closely with the various departments to see if they can give up the pieces of land for public housing.