Sylvia Lim on Community Disputes Resolution (Amendment) Bill

The Community Disputes Resolution (Amendment) Bill provides avenues for quicker intervention on the ground in cases of neighbour disputes. Noise sensors may be deployed at a complainant’s premises or common areas. More responsibility will also be placed on landlords to manage noisy tenants. These are three features of the Bill which MP Sylvia Lim welcomed in Parliament on Tuesday (Nov 12). However, she also raised the following queries. Is there a timeline for the Community Relations Unit (CRU), which has powers of intervention on the ground, to be rolled out nationwide beyond its one-year pilot in Tampines? Will CRU personnel be full-time or double-hatting? Why is awarding of costs now going to be permitted in Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals processes? Ms Lim also said she was “worried” about possible scenarios that could arise from HDB being empowered to compulsorily acquire a flat if the owner or authorised occupier is convicted of a noise or hoarding abatement offence and has a prior record.