ILLEGAL SUBLET OF JURONG TOWN CORPORATION FLATS AS WORKERS' DORMITORIES

Mr R. Ravindran asked the Minister for Trade and Industry what steps his Ministry has taken to prevent the Jurong Town Corporation flats located along Yuan Ching Road from being illegally sublet as workers' dormitories.

Mr Lee Yock Suan: The Lakeside Apartments along Yuan Ching Road are private apartments built by JTC in the 1970s. The apartments were sold to private owners with 99-year leases registered under the Land Titles Act. As the restriction period on subletting is over, the lessees are free to sublet their premises without having to seek JTC's approval.

JTC has referred cases of unauthorised use of the apartments as workers' quarters to the URA. The URA has inspected the premises and found that four apartments were being used as workers' quarters. Warning letters have been served to the owners to cease the illegal use within 1 month. Further enforcement action will be taken by the URA, if the illegal use is not ceased by then.