VOID DECKS IN HDB ESTATES (Fixing of nails and barbed wires)

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VOID DECKS IN HDB ESTATES:

(Fixing of nails and barbed wires): 12.

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam asked the Minister for National Development why there was a need to fix nails and barbed wires to deter youths from playing football in void decks and whether it was impossible to find other ways of achieving this outcome.

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng (for the Minister for National Development): Sir, with your forbearance, before I take Mr Braema's question, let me quickly answer Mr Chiam's last supplementary question which I think is very important to address.

MND's ruling, which disallows the use of sinking funds for LUP, applies consistently to all town councils, including PAP town councils.

Mr Chiam See Tong: rose ---

Mr Speaker: I am not going back to the question again, Mr Chiam. Carry on with your answer to the next question, Mr Foo.

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: In answer to Ms Braema's question, town councils manage the void decks and common

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areas in HDB estates for residents' use and enjoyment. In doing so, safety is of paramount concern. The void deck is not an appropriate place for sporting activities like competitive football. Such activities can cause injury to passers-by. They can also cause damage to common facilities like light fittings and walls, and can be a source of noise nuisance for residents living in the block.

Residents too, parents particularly, have a role to play in ensuring that the common areas in their estates are well-maintained and their kids are well behaved. The town councils have constantly reminded their residents not to play football in the void deck through notices, signages and newsletters, and even through counselling. Unfortunately, some town councils have found that these measures have not worked and have resorted to other measures following many complaints from residents.

The more sustainable solution is to provide suitable sites for youths to play football and other sports, so that they will not need to play at the void decks. The Singapore Land Authority has already opened up some of the vacant State land for such purposes. I understand that the town councils are also looking for other alternative sites. These include converting some of the vacant land at neighbouring HDB blocks to small football fields or approaching the neighbourhood schools to open up their football fields for youth in the neighbourhood, and additionally, to identify more sites for street soccer courts.

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam: I would like to ask the Minister what kind of approval system is there that you have such structures with barbed wires and nails to deter children from playing in the void deck. I accept that they should not be playing on the void deck. What is the approval process or is there one where the Ministry is concerned?

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Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: Like Ms Braema, when I first heard of barbed wires and nails, I thought it was a bit draconian. But if she were to take a look at them - I think the New Paper did publish a picture of some of the nails that have been placed - they are usually placed right up at the ceiling, some two metres away from the ground. They look more like little studs than nails. Even the barbed wires are placed up the ceiling at the cross beams. They do not really pose any danger to the youths. From the Ministry's point of view, we would rather let the town councils make their own decision. Let them consult their grassroots. Let them have a collective decision on the ground.

Ms Braema Mathiaparanam: It is not a question of danger but it is a question of what is the message that we are sending here where child's play is concerned. That is what I am concerned about in terms of the approval system.

Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng: Neither the Ministry nor the town council disapprove of child's play. The only question is where is the appropriate place for child's play. We rather leave it to the town councils on the ground to make those decisions. So there is no approval process needed.