1 As announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the 2013 National Day Rally, the relocation of PLAB will free up 800ha of prime land in the north-east region. The potential space that will be freed up is larger than the current Bishan or Ang Mo Kio town. It will provide for new residential homes, offices, factories and parks to make Singapore even more liveable and vibrant. In addition, the relocation of PLAB will remove height restrictions around Paya Lebar, and over an even bigger area stretching all the way down to Marina South, allowing for future taller developments in these areas.

2 To effect this relocation, the Government will have to expand Tengah Air Base (TAB). The expansion of TAB will entail the acquisition of several private land plots, the exhumation of graves and road re-alignment works. These are needed to accommodate some of the re-located assets and facilities from PLAB, and to ensure the RSAF’s operational readiness.

3 In developing this plan, the Government has considered all alternatives, taking into account our national defence and security needs, as well as the overall benefits of moving PLAB in the longer-term. Government agencies have, as far as possible, tried to minimise the impact of these works, and affected stakeholders will be given advance notice to make alternative arrangements.

Land Acquisition in Murai

3 Four plots of private land (occupied by two ornamental fish farms, one food fish farm, and a nursery), located immediately west of TAB, will need to be acquired for the expansion of TAB.

4 The Singapore Land Authority has gazetted the acquisition of the affected land today. SLA, AVA and NParks will work closely with the affected owners and assist them through the process.

Exhumation of Graves

5 45,500 Chinese graves and 35,000 Muslim graves in Choa Chu Kang Cemetery (CCKC) will need to be exhumed, which NEA will undertake as part of the ongoing phased exhumation of graves in CCKC. A map of the affected plots can be found in Annex A.

6 Claims and Registration for 45,000 Chinese and 5,000 Muslim graves which have met the minimum burial period of 15 years will commence in September 2017. The notices of exhumation for the remaining 500 Chinese graves and 30,000 Muslim graves will be issued at a later date after the graves have met the 15-year burial period. Please see Annex B and Annex C for more information about making a claim and the exhumation process for the affected Chinese graves and Muslim graves respectively.

Lim Chu Kang Heritage Road

7 The footprint of the expanded TAB affects the existing Lim Chu Kang Road (including a portion of the Heritage Road[1] at its northern segment), and the road will need to be re-aligned. Agencies are studying the exact impact on the road, and possible mitigation strategies, which includes transplanting the trees to the new road.

[1] Heritage Roads are characterised by their lush tropical forest ambience, and feature tall, mature green walls of natural vegetation along its length, as well as a roof of overarching tree canopies.