LAND ACQUISITION BY GOVERNMENT

Mr John De Payva asked the Minister for Law whether the Government acquires land for as little as $1.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Law (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Law): Sir, as a general rule, the Government does not acquire land for $1. However, there are some special circumstances where it does so. These are:

(a) firstly, where the land is that part of a site that has been set aside for public purposes such as roads or drainage reserves, as required under the planning approval given for the development of the site;

(b) secondly, where the land is an odd piece which cannot be developed on its own and is designated for road or drainage reserves, such as backlanes, spray corners and public access roads; or

(c) thirdly, where the land has been sub-leased by the owner for a long tenure like 999 years. In such a case, the sub-lessee would be paid the full statutory compensation. The owner is paid only the compensation for his nominal reversionary interest in the land, that is, his residual interest at the end of the sub-lease.

Dr Ker Sin Tze (Aljunied GRC): Sir, is the Senior Parliamentary Secretary aware that in the last issue of The New Democrat, the SDP had criticised the Government for acquiring land as low as $1?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, this is typical of the SDP in trying to distort and mislead the people. It made it out that valuable plots of land were unjustifiably acquired at $1. Sir, I have explained the situation. In any particular case where an aggrieved owner feels that the land has greater value, say, that it has potential for independent development, there is an avenue of appeal under the Land Acquisition Act.