Line part of forked Tuas extension from East-West line

THE MRT will be extended to the Second Link by 2015.

The Straits Times understands the line will be part of the East-West Line’s forked Tuas extension – a 14km above-ground stretch on which work could start in the second half of next year, and be completed in 2015.

The branch leading to the Second Link will be completed first, with the other branch leading to the factories in Tuas South to follow, said sources.

Engineering drawings done last year show the line continuing westwards from Joo Koon station towards the Second Link, with four stops along the way.

The plans call for a rail viaduct rising 20m above ground, about twice the height of current elevated MRT tracks. This, an MRT first, will take the track above the Ayer Rajah Expressway/Pan-Island Expressway intersection.

At some point, the rail viaduct will run along a road viaduct – another first.

The Transport Ministry said alignment of the extension has not been finalised, but confirmed that a stop will be sited near the Second Link.

It ruled out extending the East-West line to Johor from the Second Link station.

Plans for a cross-border metro extension, to be ready in 2018, were announced in May by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart, Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

But observers say that because plans are for the extension to stop at Tanjung Puteri in Johor Baru, the line across is likely to be launched from the Woodlands station, not the Second Link.

Industry watchers said having an MRT line to the Second Link is crucial, even if it is not extended across the border.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, said the Second Link station offers commuters an alternative if the Causeway checkpoint gets too crowded.

For Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) spokesman Robin Goh, having an MRT station at the Second Link – and as soon as 2015 – may well translate into more Malaysian customers visiting the resort, principally, its casino.

He said a station there will attract more free-and-independent travellers, who now make up about half of the visitors to RWS. As it is, 20 to 30 bus-loads of Malaysians now go there on an average weekday, ‘and a bit more on weekends’, he said.

Sources said the Second Link stop could also be a train depot for future MRT lines that connect to the East-West line’s western tip.

Transport researcher Lee Der Horng of the National University of Singapore said, however, that to maximise the potential of a station at the Second Link, it will be critical to provide connectivity on both sides, ‘so travellers will not end up in the middle of nowhere’.

On this front, a bus terminal for cross-border services could possibly be sited near the Second Link station.

Mr Sebastian Yap, the spokesman for the Executive Bus Agencies Association, said talks on moving the interstate bus terminal in Lavender Street have been going on for years now.

The recent announcement to set up a Downtown Line station in Jalan Besar has given added impetus to move the bus terminal out, given that the urban development around the station will need to be maximised.

But Mr Yap thinks Tuas is not the ideal new location.

Saying the association preferred Boon Lay, he said: ‘A good terminal service is all about connectivity. Besides the MRT, we need taxis as well as public buses.’

Those working in Tuas are thrilled at the prospect of an MRT extension there.

Mr Mike Leong, a 30-year-old Malaysian who works at Daimler’s logistics centre in Tuas and spends four hours each work day travelling between home in Johor’s Gelang Patah and his workplace, is looking forward to a shorter commute.

Packed buses ferrying Malaysians enter Singapore via the Second Link daily and head for the Jurong East MRT station, from where company buses pick them up and drive them westwards again to Tuas. It is a circuitous trip which Mr Leong thinks ‘wastes a lot of time’.

Raffles Country Club vice-president Lek Seow Yam said an MRT extension to Tuas would make it easier for businesses there to fill positions.

He said: ‘It can be difficult to find people who want to work in Tuas because of the distance. An MRT line would also encourage more people to patronise the F&B places there.’

NUS’ Dr Lee suggested that the Tuas extension could include Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

‘If we can provide an airport extension, I see no reason why the MRT cannot be extended to NTU,’ he added.

Source: Straits Times, 27 Aug 2010

MPs give their take on future lines, now that planners are looking beyond just viability

Ideas have emerged on future MRT lines in Singapore, and none is considered far-fetched any more.

Building a second and larger Circle Line, or a northern coastal line through Punggol? What about an MRT line across the sea to Pulau Ubin?

Transport planners can now consider such ideas even if the proposed lines pass through quiet estates and are not viable on their own – so long as the whole MRT network benefits from these new connections.

The Government made clear its change in thinking on future MRT lines last Monday, and MPs gave The Sunday Times their ideas on where the tracks could lead.

The chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Transport, Dr Lim Wee

Kiak, favours a second Circle Line that connects stations in the outer parts of existing lines, say, from Yishun to Sengkang.

Passengers now have to take the North-South Line from Yishun station to Bishan interchange, hop on the Circle Line to Serangoon interchange, then take the North-East Line to Sengkang.

‘The London system is almost like a grid, while ours will be more like a web with circles that radiate from the centre,’ said Dr Lim, an MP for Sembawang GRC.

His deputy chairman, Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, suggests joining stations in Ang Mo Kio (North-South Line), Hougang (North-East Line) and Bedok (East-West Line) with an MRT line.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) had itself provided for a larger Circle Line in its 2001 Concept Plan, to link regional centres in Tampines, Woodlands and Jurong East.

A review of the 2001 plan, to be done every 10 years, is scheduled to be completed next year.

Why not also build an MRT line to islands like Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong, suggested Dr Faishal, an MP for Marine Parade GRC.

Suggestions of other new MRT lines have also circulated on the Internet in recent years.

In 2005, for instance, a Raffles Institution student created a map of the MRT network and added

possible future lines based on URA master plans and National Library archives, among other sources.

He envisaged, among others, a North Coast Line from Woodlands to Changi, through Punggol and Pasir Ris stations.

That may not be far off the mark.

The 2001 Concept Plan had almost the same line, except it started from Sembawang instead of Woodlands.

A 2003 Land Transport Authority book, Getting There, also said Punggol station was designated an interchange between the North-East Line and a future line known as the North Shore Line.

A 40m by 40m box was built directly below the station to accommodate a future station on the North Shore Line.

Underpinning the Government’s change in thinking is its assessment that MRT lines built after 2020 will be mainly underground and could take longer to become profitable on their own if they have to pass through less mature estates with low ridership.

But the spin-offs to the whole rail network could be huge, and transport planners are now better able to project such benefits after two decades of operating the MRT.

Transport GPC member Charles Chong, an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, said the new policy will benefit new towns, as it takes time to build up a critical mass of passengers.

‘It is a chicken-and-egg situation. People do not move into an area if the infrastructure is not developed,’ he said.

Source: Sunday Times, 23 Aug 2010

THE Downtown Line will be longer, and is expected to cost more. The Land Transport Authority yesterday announced the alignment of the final phase of the Downtown Line, which will have one more station than originally planned.

The fully underground 21-kilometre stretch, called DTL3, will have 16 stations, between Chinatown station and the Expo. It will pass through residential estates in Bedok and Tampines and industrial estates at Kallang Bahru and Ubi. There will be three interchange stations – at MacPherson, Tampines and the Expo – linking DTL3 to the Circle Line and the East-West Line.

The 16 stations on DTL3 include one at Jalan Besar that was not in the original plan. Transport Minister Raymond Lim said that it was added ‘to meet the needs of workers commuting to and from the nearby industrial estates and other future developments in the area’.

‘Companies operating there, as well as at the nearby Ubi and Kaki Bukit industrial estates, that have to hire buses to ferry workers to and from nearby MRT stations, will be able to save on the cost of hiring private transport when the DTL3 is opened,’ he said.

Mr Lim, who is also Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, said that DTL3 is expected to be completed in 2017 and ‘serve half a million people daily’. The first two phases of the Downtown Line are expected to be completed in 2013 and 2015 respectively.

‘The government remains committed to expanding our public transport infrastructure and will roll out more lines such as the Tuas extension to the East-West line, the Thomson Line and the Eastern Region Line,’ Mr Lim said.

The budget for the entire Downtown Line is expected to exceed the original $12 billion target. However, the final cost will only be known later as tender for Phase 3 will only be called by the end of the year.

Source: Business Times, 21 Aug 2010

It will be in Jalan Besar; Stage 3 serving the east to be completed by 2017

STAGE 3 of the MRT Downtown Line, connecting the eastern suburbs of Changi, Tampines, Bedok and MacPherson to the Marina Bay downtown area, will be 21km long and have 16 stations.

This makes it 2km longer and gives it one station more than originally planned.

Stage 3 of the Downtown Line will offer commuters in parts of the island now unserved by the rail network an alternative transport choice.

‘For instance, a person living in Tampines and working in the Kaki Bukit industrial estate will take half the time to get to work,’ said Transport Minister Raymond Lim yesterday, adding that his 25-minute journey by bus today will be cut down to just 10 minutes by train.

Someone living near Bedok Reservoir heading for Chinatown will need only 35 minutes to get there, compared with 50 minutes today, added Mr Lim as he announced the long-awaited alignment of the third and final stage of the Downtown Line.

Tampines resident Francis Tan, 49, said: ‘This is great. I can go almost anywhere in Singapore.’

The line stretches from Singapore Expo in the east to Liang Court in River Valley in the south. Stops will include Tampines East, Bedok Town Park, Kampong Ubi, Kaki Bukit and Kallang Bahru.

It will wind through some of the busiest parts of the city, including Sungei Road and Bencoolen Street.

The extra station will be in Jalan Besar.

‘This was added to meet the needs of workers commuting to and from the nearby industrial estates and other future developments in the area,’ said Mr Lim during his visit to the soon-to-open one-north station on the Circle Line.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the original $12 billion budget for the whole Downtown Line – all 42km and 34 stations of it – will be busted, but it would not say by how much.

Stage 1 of the Downtown Line is in the city area; Stage 2 goes to Bukit Panjang, via Bukit Timah.

With Stage 3 now a slightly bigger project, it will take longer to complete – 2017 instead of 2016, said Mr Lim.

Stage 3 will cost more to build as a result, given that construction costs have risen sharply since plans for the Downtown Line were unveiled in 2007.

The later year of completion, however, is still earlier than the 2018 deadline first set three years ago.

Asked whether the longer duration of works will also push back the deadlines of future projects such as the Thomson and Eastern Region lines, the LTA said it has to finish preparatory works and engineering studies for a clearer picture of the completion dates of the other lines.

Downtown Line Stage 3 will have three interchanges: MacPherson station, which connects to the Circle Line, and the Tampines and Expo stations, which connect to the East-West Line.

The Straits Times understands that the River Valley station could be an interchange that hooks up with the Thomson Line, currently slated to be up by 2018.

Tenders for Downtown Line Stage 3 contracts will start going out later this month, and physical works are expected to commence in the middle of next year.

Construction will involve some property acquisitions – a Shell station in Upper Changi Road East, two parking lots in Bencoolen House, part of a food court in Peony Mansion, vacant spaces behind Kaki Bukit Techpark and Techview Building, as well as a vacant plot next to Plaza By The Park.

Fifteen landed houses in Merpati Road and Jalan Anggerek in MacPherson will be acquired; the space, with an adjacent tract of state land, will be redeveloped into high-density housing.

Mr Lim, in an update on the Circle Line, said it is on track to be fully open next year.

The remaining two stages – from Marymount to HarbourFront via Holland Village, one-north and Botanic Gardens – are near completion.

An LTA spokesman said the stations are expected to receive their Temporary Occupation Permits later this year. Testing and commissioning works will start in the following months.

Source: Straits Times, 21 Aug 2010

Green transport a top priority in concept plan reports

(SINGAPORE) Switching to environmentally-friendly transport won’t mean more pain and discomfort, if the suggestions in reports by two government-appointed focus groups are anything to go by.

In fact, frequent public transport commuters will be cheered to see suggestions that include longer operating hours for buses and trains, shorter commute times with dedicated bus lanes for express buses and reduced fares.

While some of the suggestions are not new, the final reports put forth a ‘more integrated, holistic approach’ so more people will choose public transport to make Singapore ‘greener’.

The two reports were compiled to address issues of ageing, sustainability, quality of life and identity in Singapore, and will be taken into consideration for Concept Plan 2011, a blueprint for Singapore’s land use and transportation plans over the next 40 to 50 years.

However, it’s not all carrots with no sticks. One such ‘stick’ might draw groans from motorists. One focus group raised the issue of reviewing car parking policies, which might include raising parking fees in the city and town centres, reducing the number of parking lots.

The reports also addressed the issue that alternative modes of transport such as walking and cycling could become more commonplace if Singapore found a way to address the hot and humid climate and improve safety.

For this, dedicated cycling lane networks, increasing parking facilities for bicycles and more foliage-covered walkways to MRT stations, bus stops and taxi stands were some suggestions.

Some recommendations addressed bigger social and national identity issues as well. For instance, having pedestrian thoroughfares in heritage areas such as Kampong Glam, Haji Lane and Little India would not only allow pedestrians to soak in Singapore’s heritage, art and culture but also ‘green’ their transportation habits.

Besides transportation, improving waste management and raising demand for green products were addressed. To promote both recycling and use of transport, recycling facilities could be placed at MRT stations and public transport rebates could be given to those who recycle.

Also making the list were ideas like community-wide composting, pegging waste disposal fees to the amount thrown away, and setting up a green accreditation body to set environmental standards for products and services.

Executive director of Singapore Environment Council, Howard Shaw welcomes the progress of the reports that were presented to the Ministry of National Development and Urban Redevelopment Authority yesterday.

‘It’s good to have a holistic approach,’ he said.

‘People’s lifestyles have changed tremendously and looking into how to change Singapore’s infrastructure to fit that, will raise awareness and acceptability of how to live more sustainably.’

Source: Business Times, 20 Aug 2010

(SINGAPORE) Singapore may have a greener tinge and a vastly more interesting skyline, if the suggestions contained in the final reports by two focus groups for Concept Plan 2011 see the light of day.

 There is, for example, a call to review the land tender system to create an ‘inspiring global and Asian city’.

‘By setting land price as the main or only criteria in evaluating tender submissions, we are not putting sufficient value on good architecture, which can contribute significantly to building a distinctive, innovative and interesting city skyline,’ said the report of the focus group on Quality of Life.

It proposes extending the government’s dual-envelope tender system, currently used for selected major development sites like Capitol Theatre, to more state land tender projects to ‘signal the government’s support for more innovative design concepts and architecture’. Under this system, concept proposals are first evaluated against a specified set of criteria and only those meeting these conditions will be considered. The site will then be awarded to the party with the highest bid price among those with acceptable concept proposals.

Some market watchers reckon that most state sites will still be awarded on price, except for plots with unique value or other important considerations. Having a design-based competition adds costs to tenderers especially when there will be only one winning bid. ‘The better solution for such unique sites is the government should establish what it considers the land price that it is prepared to sell the land for, and all bidders will then focus on design, concept or whatever other criteria are set – rather than have to second guess the land price,’ says Knight Frank chairman Tan Tiong Cheng.

The focus group also suggests that to deepen the sense of community, the government should consider the social merits of proposals when evaluating tender submissions for selected state land and properties. ‘These evaluation criteria could include whether the proposal takes into account community, elderly or youth-related amenities and needs or whether they are from VWOs and NGOs. Such a move would send a positive signal to the private sector on the priorities of our society and help inculcate a greater consciousness of the issues,’ the report said.

Other suggestions made by the focus groups include tax rebates for owners of buildings achieving Green Mark Platinum or GoldPlus standards and setting up a ‘neutral zone’ around places of worship in heritage areas and historic districts where pubs and lounges are not allowed. There is also a suggestion for more affordable rental apartments for young adults.

The focus group also says towns should be designed to evolve with residents’ changing needs and respond to lifecycles of HDB estates. ‘Instead of redeveloping estates entirely, we should continue to retain some empty plots…for future development so that estates can evolve and be rejuvenated over time,’ the report said. For now, these plots could be kept as open spaces for people to simply ‘stretch out’, and the community could be given more say on their best use.

DTZ executive director Ong Choon Fah says this approach will ensure such land is not left idle. ‘Land can be used not just for commercial purpose, but there’s also value when you use it for social purpose; it adds value to the quality of life if people have more places to go to to relax, to bond. Perhaps you’ll have less crime and stress and so ultimately there’ll be economic benefits – although you may not be able to measure the commercial benefits of such an approach,’ she said.

Another proposal from the focus groups is a need to facilitate ageing in familiar surroundings. HDB flats could be built in a modular fashion so walls can be easily knocked down for two or three units to be joined to cater to changes to household sizes at different stages of a family lifecycle. For elders who prefer independent living options, retirement housing communities near existing residential estates are recommended.

The focus group on Sustainability and Identity recommends that the Green Mark Scheme be expanded to cover the entire lifecycle of a building – from design and planning, to construction, operation and maintenance. Developers and owners are required to document the materials and resources used throughout a building’s lifespan.

At construction stage, the extraction, processing and transport of raw materials should be assessed carefully so that these are carried out in an environmentally sustainable manner that inflicts minimal damage to the physical and natural environments. ‘We should use locally-obtained, recyled and renewable resources where possible to reduce the need for transportation of materials, thereby also reducing Singapore’s carbon footprint,’ says the report.

A City Developments spokeswoman said: ‘Perhaps the government can consider introducing incentives to encourage the industry to reuse and recycle natural resources, which can also help minimise construction and demolition waste going into our landfills.’

Source: Business Times, 20 Aug 2010

Petrochemicals industry’s impending growth requires ‘land intensification’

WITH the world’s largest oil/petrochemical companies like ExxonMobil and PetroChina planning even more investments here, Singapore is studying how to intensify land use for the industry. This follows JTC Corporation’s recent foray into building underground oil/chemicals storage caverns on Jurong Island and its plans for offshore floating oil storage to complement land reclamation on the petrochemicals-complex island.

JTC called a tender this week for a consultant on this, specifying that ‘only tenderers with proven experience and expertise in related feasibility studies as well as the designing, construction and development of local or overseas petrochemical facilities are eligible’.

JTC’s latest ‘land intensification’ study for the petrochemicals industry is yet another avenue it is exploring to stretch Singapore’s limited land resources. This started last month when it called for a consultant to study land intensification for the offshore and marine sector, given the shortage of sites, especially with waterfront access.

JTC said that with energy and chemicals accounting for 38.6 per cent of the Republic’s manufacturing output, its challenge is to see how it can intensify land use or create more land to support the industry’s growth.

For its latest petrochemicals study, the consultant will look at areas including aggregation/sharing of common flare towers, turnaround areas and other facilities, as well as locating relevant operations in multi-storey structures or stack-up concepts. The consultant will also study derivative units at a given petrochemicals site and the units’ requirements (like water and electricity, as well as regulatory and safety buffers), and identify potential land use areas that can be improved.

The latest study is important, given that biggies like ExxonMobil – currently building its second world-scale petrochem complex here, costing an estimated US$5 billion – are planning yet more projects. So also is PetroChina, which bought Singapore Petroleum Company (SPC) for S$3.2 billion, giving it a half-stake in the 290,000 barrels per day refinery of Singapore Refining Company (SRC), among various SPC assets.

In response to queries about JTC’s current move to also carry out land reclamation at Ayer Chawan Basin – which is next to the ExxonMobil (EM) and SRC facilities – an EM spokeswoman told BT: ‘We are evaluating additional investments in Asia Pacific, including a potential diesel project at our Singapore refinery. But we’re unable to provide additional comment at this time.’

This is apparently for another major clean fuels investment, a hydro-desulphurisation plant, to produce ultra- low-sulphur diesel at ExxonMobil’s US$11 billion refining/petrochemical Singapore facility, already its largest manufacturing site worldwide.

PetroChina, say sources, is also keen to build on its SPC investment here, especially to increase the complexity of the SRC refinery, which it jointly owns with Chevron. The upgrading of the SRC refinery could also result in the boosting of the refining capacity, they said.

Currently, SRC is doing front-end engineering design on a ultra-low-sulphur gasoline plant and a 60-70 megawatt cogeneration plant to supply the refinery with steam, cooling water and electricity. The final investment decision for the two projects, costing an estimated US$300-400 million, is expected by year-end.

Source: Business Times, 7 Aug 2010

The Marina Bay will be a key platform and catalyst for Singapore’s future growth.

Speaking at the official opening of the waterfront promenade at Marina Bay on Sunday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Marina Bay will boost Singapore’s position as a financial hub for Asia.

Mr Lee said the new Marina Bay will define Singapore in the same way the Bund defines Shanghai.

He said: “The private sector has shown its confidence in Marina Bay. Already, it has attracted $20 billion of private sector investments in real estate. And we’ve got firms, local and international ones from around the world – America, Australia, Europe, the Middle East – they’ve come, they’re optimistic and bullish about the development. In fact, they would like us to develop it further.”

Marina Bay is not just for businesses.

With the completion of the 3.5km waterfront promenade, which follows the opening of the Helix Bridge and Marina Bay Sands integrated resort earlier this year, visitors can now walk around the whole Marina Bay and take in the magnificent views.

Prime Minister Lee said: “I came here one evening a few weeks ago, walked along the helical bridge, walked most of the way around the Bay, and it was full of people – families, children, courting couples, tourists – taking in the sights, enjoying the atmosphere.”

With the upcoming Youth Olympic Games and Gardens by the Bay to open soon, Mr Lee said the area promises to be a vibrant destination for all Singaporeans and tourists.

He said the development of Marina Bay mirrors the government’s efforts to build best homes for Singaporeans.

And this is possible, as long as the economy prospers and people work together.

Mr Lee also launched the Marina Bay City Gallery.

URA’s group director (Urban Planning and Design), Fun Siew Leng, said: “The Marina Bay City Gallery shows the transformation story of Marina Bay – how it’s been developed over the last 30 years, from planning to implementation to what you see on site today. It tells the fascinating story of all the different events that happen in this area since the 1800s up to now.”

The gallery’s centrepiece is a model of the entire Marina Bay area.

Visitors can make the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands integrated resort light up, by just touching the interactive panels.

Admission to the gallery is free.

To celebrate the opening of the waterfront promenade, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) has organised a two-day carnival, which started on Saturday.

It expects about 80,000 people to gather at Marina Bay area to enjoy the performances and activities.

Earlier Sunday, Prime Minister Lee flagged off some 20,000 participants for The New Paper Big Walk@Marina Bay at the Singapore Flyer. He then took a walk to the Youth Olympic Park, The Helix and the Mist Walk at the Marina Bay waterfront promenade.

Source: Channel News Asia, 18 Jul 2010

REJUVENATING the Central Business District (CBD) can help entice more multinationals to set up their global headquarters here amid Asia’s economic rebound, according to the Ministry of National Development.

Ms Grace Fu, Senior Minister of State for National Development, said yesterday: ‘We have planned for the development of Marina Bay and rejuvenation of the Central Business District to provide businesses with a diverse choice of top quality Grade A offices in state-of-the-art buildings.

‘This will help our aspiration to build Singapore into a leading financial and business centre in Asia that can serve as the ideal location for global headquarters functions of multinational corporations operating in Asia.’

Ms Fu was speaking at the topping-out ceremony for Ocean Financial Centre in Raffles Place Park.

The project is being developed by Keppel Land and will add about 850,000 sq ft of Grade A office space.

Grade A is a term generally used to describe offices found in prime, well-maintained buildings that have large, column-free floor plates and high ceilings.

Keppel Corp chief executive Choo Chiau Beng, who also chairs Keppel Land, announced that Australian bank ANZ plans to lease 209,000 sq ft while BNP Paribas Singapore has earmarked 58,000 sq ft.

Other future tenants include law firms Drew & Napier, which is now at Ocean Towers, and Stamford Law, currently at Republic Plaza.

Ocean Financial Centre is the fourth Ocean building development at the former Ocean Building site.

The first was built in 1864, with redevelopments taking place in 1923 and 1974.

The latest Ocean building is also the first high-rise office development in Singapore to achieve the Platinum Green Mark Award, with the platinum level the best category in the Green Mark Award given out by the Building and Construction Authority.

It will boast features such as solar panels, an energy-efficient hybrid chilled water system and paper recycling in all offices.

Keppel Land, a unit of Keppel Corp, said in a statement that the green features will achieve energy savings of 35 per cent and save 42 million litres of water and more than 10,000 trees a year.

The centre is 63 per cent pre-committed and is expected to be completed in the second quarter of next year.

Meanwhile, Overseas Union Enterprise (OUE) announced that 88,000 sq ft of space has been pre-committed at 50 Collyer Quay, which is being developed on the site of the former Overseas Union House by OUE unit Clifford Development.

The space is about 22 per cent of the project’s net lettable area of 412,000 sq ft.

Source: Straits Times, 8 Jul 2010

DPM says Govt has no plans yet for Kwong Wai Shiu land; lease ends in 2015

KWONG Wai Shiu Hospital will not be left in the lurch, even though the authorities are undecided about plans for the land it sits on when the lease expires in 2015.

The medical facility is Singapore’s longest-serving charity hospital, and its officials hope they can stay put at its premises in Serangoon Road.

Yesterday, it celebrated its centennial year with free health screenings for the public and a food and games carnival, among other events.

A 92-year-old donor even presented $100,000 to the hospital yesterday to mark the occasion.

Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng said on the sidelines of the celebrations that the Government has no plans to use the land for the next five years.

‘But after five years, the Ministry of National Development may have different plans. So it is only then that we can decide the hospital’s future,’ said DPM Wong in Mandarin.

But Mr Wong, who is also the Minister for Home Affairs, said the Government will look out for the hospital, if it cannot remain at its current address in the future.

‘Even if the hospital cannot remain here, the Government recognises and supports all community hospitals. So if one day, it cannot be here, the Government will continue to help it find a new place and give it other forms of assistance,’ he added.

Mr Wong, who has been the hospital’s patron for the past four years, noted that it has done a lot of good work for the community in the past 100 years.

It was founded in 1910 by a group of Cantonese merchants who wanted to provide free medical care for Cantonese immigrants from China.

A 2.5ha plot of land, with three colonial buildings, was parcelled off from Tan Tock Seng Hospital and given to Kwong Wai Shiu for 99 years.

The merchants also struck a deal with the British colonial authorities in the 99-year lease for the hospital to pay just $1 every year in rent.

That lease expired in February this year and the land was handed over to the Singapore Government, which extended it to 2015.

The hospital’s annual rental bill is now $1.7million.

Its annual overall operating cost of about $12million has so far been met mainly through public donations and patient fees.

This amount is projected to hit $16million this year, said chief operating officer Ling Bee Sian.

In September last year, the Ministry of Health agreed to increase its subsidy to Kwong Wai Shiu.

Madam Ling said that discussions on the subsidy – such as the amount and coverage – are still being finalised.

Currently, Kwong Wai Shiu runs a 50-bed community hospital and 350-bed nursing home.

It also has a rehabilitation and traditional Chinese medicine centre, as well as an outpatient clinic.

Over the years the hospital has adapted itself to meet the needs of the community, and it plans to stay relevant by adding another 200 beds to its community hospital and another 50 beds to its nursing home, said Mr Patrick Lee, vice-chairman of the hospital’s management committee.

He added that there are plans to start a home-care service, including training for caregivers to take care of their loved ones better.

Source: Straits Times, 5 Jul 2010