SINGAPORE — Mr Leong Mun Wai, Progress Singapore Party’s Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (MP), submitted a petition to Parliament on Monday (Aug 1) calling for a review of the Selective En-Bloc Redevelopment Scheme (Sers) and for a moratorium to be imposed on Sers pending an outcome of its review.

Signed by five residents of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 recently affected by the scheme, the petition calls for, among other things, a review of Sers in its entirety including its compensation options and ex-gratia payment to affected residents to help defray their renovation costs.

This is the second attempt by Mr Leong to raise a petition in Parliament on the issue.

During last month’s sitting, Deputy Speaker Christopher de Souza had said that there were a few concerns on whether the petition, which was submitted at the last minute, was in accordance with parliamentary standing orders.

Sers was thrown into the spotlight in mid-June after some residents living in the chosen housing blocks on Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 for the scheme expressed dissatisfaction over the need to top up money for similar-sized replacement flats.

Delivering a brief statement on the petition in Parliament on Monday, Mr Leong said that the signatories of the petition are Ms Chua Shanyu, Mr Lim Cheng Kiang and "others of like opinion". All the signatories are affected residents under the Sers scheme of Blocks 562, 563 and 564 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, he added.

“They allege that there is a lack of transparency concerning various aspects of the Sers project and the treatment given to them is unfair,” said Mr Leong during a statement on the petition in Parliament.

“They are also concerned that this project may set a precedent which affects future Sers residents negatively,” he added.

Mr Leong said that the petitioners were seeking the following:

• A review of Sers in its entirety, including a transparent and independent evaluation of the reclaim and replacement sites, options of compensation and lease buyback scheme for senior citizens
• That Parliament considers making public the intended use of reclaimed sites so as to assess the actual and potential value of the site
• That Parliament considers ensuring that residents affected by Sers be relocated within the vicinity of the reclaimed site
• That Parliament considers waiving the resale levy and providing a full reimbursement of stamp and legal fees for affected residents in all future Sers exercises
• That Parliament considers an ex-gratia payment to affected residents to help defray renovation costs. The payment should also be adjusted for inflation and other factors
• That Parliament considers a moratorium on Sers until the review on Sers is conducted and the findings and recommendations are deliberated by the House

Mr de Souza said that the petition will be referred to the Public Petitions Committee.

Petitions submitted by MPs to Parliament are referred to the Public Petitions Committee, which will consider the petition and report to the House.

Mr de Souza also informed the House that the Speaker had nominated Mr Chee Hong Tat, the Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport and MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency, to take the place of Mr Lawrence Wong, who is the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, in Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee on July 27.

Mr Leong Mun Wai was also nominated as a member of the committee to fill a vacancy. Both nominations took effect the same day, said Mr de Souza.