MND flags two areas as possible new towns By Jeanette Tan |

gorgorlokaychyong SG

By Jeanette Tan | Yahoo! Newsroom – 5 hours ago

Tengah and Bidadari have been earmarked for development into new towns as the government prepares for a growing population, said the Ministry of National Development (MND).

“We cannot be certain what the future will bring… but we can maximise the opportunities for our future generations by preparing well ahead,” said National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wanin a statement.

MND released, on Wednesday, its addendum to President Tony Tan’s earlier parliamentary address.

“They (the new residential towns) will not be needed soon, but we are planning ahead so as to retain flexibility,” he was quoted as saying by The Straits Times.

Bidadari, now a park in Potong Pasir, was once a large cemetery. The graves have been exhumed and the area was first highlighted for development into public housing and other amenities a decade ago.

Tengah is a forested area about the size of Choa Chu Kang estate. It bounded by Jurong West, Bukit Batok and Choa Chu Kang.

In his statement, Khaw also revealed that about 200 more people have benefited from revisions to the income ceilings for executive condominiums (ECs) and the Singles grant, with 140 more becoming eligible to apply for ECs and a further 75 getting to dip into the Singles Grant fund.

MND has given out $2.6 million in Singles Grants, of which $660,000 was distributed to newly qualified recipients. About $130,000 went to new EC buyers using the Central Provident FundHousing Grant.

Apart from new towns, Khaw said the ministry will be looking into renewing the infrastructure in existing estates.

While he stressed that cheaper rental flats will not solve the deeper social problems plaguing families, he said there will be more subsidised rental flats built for needy households.