4-ROOM BUDGET FLATS IN NORTH EAST ZONE (Building)

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for National Development whether 4-room budget flats will be built in the North East Zone estates like Sengkang and Punggol and whether applicants of such flats can choose the unit.

The Minister for National Development (Mr Lim Hng Kiang): Mr Speaker, Sir, HDB will continue to build 4-room budget flats in all zones including the North East Zone and in estates like Punggol and Sengkang. Applicants in the 4-room flat register whose registration numbers are due for selection of flats will be invited to select 4-room flats, which will include 4-room budget flats. They will select flats in the zones that they have applied for.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, will these applicants be allowed to select their units as well? Second, I understand that currently, applicants are not allowed to choose their locations, because the building programme for 4-room budget flats is only for Choa Chu Kang. Why is it so? And when will the flats in estates like Sengkang and Punggol be available for selection?

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: Sir, under the Registration for Flat System, the applicant will apply for a flat in a zone, whether he applies for the North Zone, North East Zone or the West Zone. Somebody who applies for a 4-room flat in the West Zone will be invited to select a 4-room flat when his queue number is due. At every selection exercise, we try to put 4-room budget flats available for selection. Therefore, a person who wishes to buy a 4-room budget flat will select a flat in the zone that he has applied for. This holds true whether it is in the West Zone, North East Zone which includes Sengkang, and in the North Zone which includes Woodlands and Yishun.