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AsiaOne
7 days ago
- Business
- AsiaOne
Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — Khatib Camp in Yishun will make way for new homes, with the camp's functions to be relocated to Amoy Quee Camp, which is currently undergoing redevelopment. Responding to queries from The Straits Times, the Ministry of Defence said on July 23 that the redevelopment of Amoy Quee Camp and its supporting infrastructure and facilities started in April 2024, with completion targeted for 2030. The ministry said Amoy Quee Camp, located in Ang Mo Kio, will have its land use intensified to accommodate the relocated units, assets and facilities from Khatib Camp. The camp will also house other operational units, along with their maintenance and administrative entities, to ensure the Singapore Armed Forces' operational readiness, said Mindef, which added that Khatib Camp will be returned to the state for residential development. Khatib Camp currently occupies about 29ha of land and is next to the upcoming 70ha Chencharu estate that is part of Yishun town. Reusing the camp's land for housing will add to the planned 10,000 homes that are slated for development in Chencharu by 2040. Based on the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) Draft Master Plan 2025 that was released on June 25, the camp has been zoned for housing but has yet to be assigned a gross plot ratio — a figure that determines the maximum floor area of a development. Assuming it is given a plot ratio of 2.8 — similar to that of neighbouring residential plots - property analysts said it can yield more than 6,000 public flats or more than 9,000 condominium units. Alan Cheong, executive director of research and consultancy at Savills Singapore, said the large site provides urban planners the flexibility of incorporating a housing mix that includes private homes, condominium units and commercial amenities. Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at Realion Group, added that the transport network surrounding the camp site may also need to be improved for future residents. Currently, the end of the camp closest to Khatib MRT station is about 400m away, while its farthest end is about 1.2km from the station. Sun said there is a higher chance that public flats will be built on the site, which will be consistent with the neighbourhoods that currently surround it. Built at a cost of $90 million in 1983, Khatib Camp occupies an area that was previously used by the Royal Malaysian Navy from 1970, and handed over to Singapore in February 1982. The camp initially housed the SAF Boys' School, the air defence unit and five other artillery units. It has long served as the headquarters of the Singapore Artillery, and is currently one of four SAF camps where NSmen can take their Individual Physical Proficiency Test. As for Amoy Quee Camp, it was among the properties handed over to Singapore as part of the withdrawal of British troops in 1971. Information from the British archives shows the Royal Air Force (RAF) Amoy Quee base was established in mid-1968 and operated until July 1971. It housed the RAF's 1003 Signals Unit. Amoy Quee Camp in 1976 had the biggest pineapple farm in Singapore, occupying 6ha, as part of efforts to grow food for soldiers and also as an experiment to see if enough fruit could be harvested and sold for profit. Since 2001, Amoy Quee Camp has housed the headquarters of the National Cadet Corps, and the camp's size has been reduced drastically in recent years from about 89ha to 52ha to make way for new homes. According to URA's Draft Master Plan 2025 exhibition, the area will have a new park, commercial amenities and healthcare facilities. Its development has begun, with the ongoing construction of the 1,068-unit Pine Ville @ AMK project by the Housing Board, where replacement flats are being built for residents of an Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme project that was announced in April 2022. Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme project that was announced in April 2022 To be developed next to Pine Ville @ AMK soon is a Build-To-Order project, comprising 1,420 units, which will be launched in October. Elsewhere within the about 37ha of land that Mindef has ceded in Amoy Quee, HDB is currently preparing the site for future developments, such as constructing new roads and sewers. These works are slated to be completed by end-2025. According to URA's draft masterplan, at least three other housing sites are available for development in the area. The first is about 3ha, which is located next to a planned park. Analysts said it can hold about 1,200 condominium units, or about 800 flats. The second is about 6.2ha and is located across the road from Amoy Quee Camp. Analysts said it could yield about 1,400 flats, or about 2,200 condominium units. Savills' Cheong noted that it is large enough to be used for a mix of public and private homes, with some commercial amenities. The third plot is about 5.2ha, which has not been given a plot ratio in URA's draft masterplan. It stretches along the eastern boundary of Nanyang Polytechnic. Sun said the plot may not be attractive to developers because of its elongated shape. Assuming it has a plot ratio of 3.5 — the nearby housing plots have plot ratios ranging from 3.0 to 3.8 — it can hold about 1,400 flats, or about 2,100 condominium units, she said. As for the camp, a construction notice states that 48 blocks will be demolished and 35 blocks will be built, along with a football field and running track. This is slated for completion in the fourth quarter of 2029. [[nid:720521]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Business Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
Khatib Camp to make way for housing, with its functions moving to Amoy Quee Camp
[SINGAPORE] Khatib Camp in Yishun will make way for new homes, with the camp's functions to be relocated to Amoy Quee Camp, which is currently undergoing redevelopment. Responding to queries from The Straits Times, the Ministry of Defence said on July 23 that the redevelopment of Amoy Quee Camp and its supporting infrastructure and facilities started in April 2024, with completion targeted for 2030. The ministry said Amoy Quee Camp, located in Ang Mo Kio, will have its land use intensified to accommodate the relocated units, assets and facilities from Khatib Camp. The camp will also house other operational units, along with their maintenance and administrative entities, to ensure the Singapore Armed Forces' operational readiness, said Mindef, which added that Khatib Camp will be returned to the state for residential development. Khatib Camp currently occupies about 29 ha of land and is next to the upcoming 70ha Chencharu estate that is part of Yishun town. Reusing the camp's land for housing will add to the planned 10,000 homes that are slated for development in Chencharu by 2040. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up Based on the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) Draft Master Plan 2025 that was released on June 25, the camp has been zoned for housing but has yet to be assigned a gross plot ratio – a figure that determines the maximum floor area of a development. Assuming it is given a plot ratio of 2.8 – similar to that of neighbouring residential plots – property analysts said it can yield more than 6,000 public flats or more than 9,000 condominium units. Mr Alan Cheong, executive director of research and consultancy at Savills Singapore, said the large site provides urban planners the flexibility of incorporating a housing mix that includes private homes, condominium units and commercial amenities. Ms Christine Sun, chief researcher and strategist at Realion Group, added that the transport network surrounding the camp site may also need to be improved for future residents. Currently, the end of the camp closest to Khatib MRT station is about 400 m away, while its farthest end is about 1.2 km from the station. Ms Sun said there is a higher chance that public flats will be built on the site, which will be consistent with the neighbourhoods that currently surround it. Built at a cost of S$90 million in 1983, Khatib Camp occupies an area that was previously used by the Royal Malaysian Navy from 1970, and handed over to Singapore in February 1982. The camp initially housed the SAF Boys' School, the air defence unit and five other artillery units. It has long served as the headquarters of the Singapore Artillery, and is currently one of four SAF camps where NSmen can take their Individual Physical Proficiency Test. As for Amoy Quee Camp, it was among the properties handed over to Singapore as part of the withdrawal of British troops in 1971. Information from the British archives shows the Royal Air Force (RAF) Amoy Quee base was established in mid-1968 and operated until July 1971. It housed the RAF's 1003 Signals Unit. Amoy Quee Camp in 1976 had the biggest pineapple farm in Singapore, occupying 6ha, as part of efforts to grow food for soldiers and also as an experiment to see if enough fruit could be harvested and sold for profit. Since 2001, Amoy Quee Camp has housed the headquarters of the National Cadet Corps, and the camp's size has been reduced drastically in recent years from about 89ha to 52ha to make way for new homes. According to URA's Draft Master Plan 2025 exhibition, the area will have a new park, commercial amenities and healthcare facilities. Its development has begun, with the ongoing construction of the 1,068-unit Pine Ville @ AMK project by the Housing Board, where replacement flats are being built for residents of an Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme project that was announced in April 2022. To be developed next to Pine Ville @ AMK soon is a Build-To-Order project, comprising 1,420 units, which will be launched in October. Elsewhere within the about 37 ha of land that Mindef has ceded in Amoy Quee, HDB is currently preparing the site for future developments, such as constructing new roads and sewers. These works are slated to be completed by end-2025. According to URA's draft masterplan, at least three other housing sites are available for development in the area. The first is about 3 ha, which is located next to a planned park. Analysts said it can hold about 1,200 condominium units, or about 800 flats. The second is about 6.2 ha and is located across the road from Amoy Quee Camp. Analysts said it could yield about 1,400 flats, or about 2,200 condominium units. Savills' Mr Cheong noted that it is large enough to be used for a mix of public and private homes, with some commercial amenities. The third plot is about 5.2 ha, which has not been given a plot ratio in URA's draft masterplan. It stretches along the eastern boundary of Nanyang Polytechnic. Ms Sun said the plot may not be attractive to developers because of its elongated shape. Assuming it has a plot ratio of 3.5 – the nearby housing plots have plot ratios ranging from 3.0 to 3.8 – it can hold about 1,400 flats, or about 2,100 condominium units, she said. As for the camp, a construction notice states that 48 blocks will be demolished and 35 blocks will be built, along with a football field and running track. This is slated for completion in the fourth quarter of 2029. THE STRAITS TIMES
Straits Times
06-07-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Red Lions and naval divers join forces for Jump of Unity at NDP 2025
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Naval divers performing the Jump of Unity, a new offering in the pre-parade segment for NDP 2025 that sees them team up with the Red Lions for a combined salute, at the second NE Show on July 5. SINGAPORE – People around Marina Bay and at the Padang looked skywards, their eyes transfixed by a little speck flying through the air. It was not a bird, nor was it a plane, but naval diver Lim Chee Seng free-falling from about 1,830m in full operational gear in the early evening of July 5. First Warrant Officer (1WO) Lim was followed by six other naval divers, who leapt from a H225M medium-lift helicopter in turn , before deploying their parachutes and landing together in the waters of Marina Bay. Ensuing that splashdown, a team of seven Red Lions leapt out of a C-130 Hercules aircraft from a height of about 3,050m roughly above the Esplanade and glided into their signature ring free-fall formation. At about 2,135m above ground, they executed a 'bomb burst' manoeuvre. This move, which looks like a flower opening up, allows the Singapore Armed Forces' parachutists to distance themselves from one another to deploy their parachutes safely. The free-fall displays together form the Jump of Unity – a new offering in the pre-parade segment for National Day Parade (NDP) 2025, which was showcased at National Education (NE) Show 2 on July 5. A Red Lion preparing to land in the Padang during the Jump of Unity at the second National Education Show for National Day Parade on July 5. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG The Jump of Unity on Singapore's 60th birthday will be the first time the two parachute teams will land in separate venues at NDP . The jump culminates in a combined salute by the naval divers from a small floating platform in Marina Bay and the Red Lions in front of the NDP audience at the Padang, where the perennial crowd favourites touch down. In addition to the NE Show 2 on July 5, the parachutists have performed this special jump at the NDP combined rehearsals on June 14, 21 and 28. The actual NDP will be held at the Padang and Marina Bay on Aug 9. Executing the combined salute from separate locations is one of the biggest challenges of the Jump of Unity and requires close coordination between the naval divers and the Red Lions, said 1WO Lim, who leads the naval divers' team of seven for NDP 2025 . The 41-year-old, who was part of the naval divers' maiden free-fall jump at the NDP in 2018, said that after landing in Marina Bay, his team has about six minutes to remove their parachutes and board the floating platform to get into position for the salute. The naval divers and Red Lions have personnel at the Padang and Marina Bay who communicate with the show centre to synchronise their salute timing. Naval divers boarding the Republic of Singapore Air Force's H225M medium-lift helicopter at Sembawang Air Base ahead of the Jump of Unity at the second National Education Show 2 for National Day Parade 2025 on July 5. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Precise coordination comes into play even before the parachutists jump from the aircraft, as Staff Sergeant Kristian Jeremiah Joseph from the Republic of Singapore Air Force attested to. The 28-year-old aircrew specialist on the H225M medium-lift helicopter uses hand signals to relay information between the pilots and the naval divers, such as wind conditions and how much time there is before the helicopter reaches their jump point. He said: 'When the jumpers want to jump, they will indicate the hand signal (to show) they are ready... We will then relay these communications over to the pilots, who will then give the executive call for the jump to proceed.' To prepare for their NDP jumps, the naval divers and Red Lions have conducted several practice jumps at airbases in Singapore from April. Both teams meet weekly to discuss contingencies and safety precautions, 1WO Lim said. They also trained in an indoor wind tunnel at iFly Singapore in Sentosa that simulates skydiving. The Red Lions (left) and naval divers training in the wind tunnel at iFly Singapore in Sentosa on June 24. ST PHOTOS: LIM YAOHUI While the Red Lions perform a showcase jump, wearing lightweight jumpsuits for the Jump of Unity, the naval divers do an operational jump while carrying about 60kg of operational gear. At a media event at iFly Singapore on June 24, 1WO Lim demonstrated free-fall training in the wind tunnel in full gear. 'This iFly simulator allows us to practise our stability and our mobility drills to give us confidence in this phase of the jump,' he said. For Red Lions NDP 2025 team lead Chew Eng Seng, this will be his fifth NDP as a Red Lion – and it holds added significance as it marks SG60. Master Warrant Officer Chew, 50, who has clocked over 1,000 jumps, said: 'The most exciting part... would be the landing. As you are coming down to land, you can actually hear the cheers and the roar from the spectators sitting in the Padang.' Master Warrant Officer Chew Eng Seng (left), 50, team lead of the Red Lions for National Day Parade (NDP) 2025 and First Warrant Officer Lim Chee Seng, 41, team lead of the naval divers team for NDP 2025, posing for a photo after their teams trained at iFly Singapore's wind tunnel on June 24. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI Everyone on his team has each made an average of 500 to 1,000 jumps. The naval divers declined to reveal the number of jumps they have done. Ong Rui Heng, 11, who was at the Padang for the NE Show 2, was left in awe by the free-fall display of the Red Lions and naval divers. The Primary 5 student from Nan Chiau Primary School said: 'They can control their parachute (well) and come at different angles. They look so experienced.'
Straits Times
01-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Credibility of SAF has given investors confidence in Singapore: Chan Chun Sing
Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing delivering his SAF Day Message during the Singapore Armed Forces Day combined rededication ceremony at Capital Tower on July 1. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI SINGAPORE - The Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) track record in keeping Singapore safe has enabled the Republic to keep bringing in business and investments, said Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing. This is as people know that when Singapore says their investments here will be protected, it is not just empty talk, Mr Chan said at an SAF Day rededication ceremony at Capital Tower on July 1 Rather than a slogan, it is a promise 'of continued hard work to say that we are able to manage the emerging geostrategic challenges, the security challenges'. 'But more importantly, its a commitment by Mindef and SAF to say that we will keep our eyes on the ball and make sure that we are not just dealing with today's challenges or yesterday's challenges, but we are constantly asking ourselves how to anticipate the new how do we rise to the occasion,' he said. At a fireside chat organised by the Singapore Business Federation and CapitaLand Investments, Mr Chan said people have a quiet confidence in the city-state, not just in its security but that it will not change its rules overnight. Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing (centre) together with Mr Kok Ping Soon, (left) CEO of SBF and Mr Ervin Yeo, Capitaland Investment group chief strategy officer and CEO, Commercial Management, during the fireside chat. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI This is a credit to the generations of SAF servicemen and women who have constantly looked over the horizon to anticipate future threats, and to take the necessary steps even before the threats emerge, he added. While the world is fragmenting and there are different forces pulling it in different directions, he said there are also opportunities for Singapore to work with new partners who continue to believe in the need for a global rules based order. As people look for ways to diversify their risks, there will be opportunities for Singapore if it can keep itself as a safe haven and as a peaceful oasis. This requires Singapore to keep its society united, for the people and the Government to stay focused on the key issues of the day, and to be proactive in addressing challenges. Mr Chan said that even if the world is turned upside down, the important thing is to make sure that Singapore is not at the bottom of the heap when things return to normal. 'In truth, it's always like that. It's not just what we do absolutely, but it's also what we do relatively that's important for us to earn our keep and maintain our relevance,' he added. This year's SAF day rededication ceremonies were, for the first time, held concurrently at five locations. They had traditionally been organised by civilian partner organisations across four places. Military Expert (ME) 3 Muthukumaran, capability development engineer from HQ 9 Division/Infantry, sharing about the Light Machine Gun to Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing during the Singapore Armed Forces Day combined rededication ceremony at Capital Tower on July 1. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI At a ceremony organised by the Singapore Manufacturing Federation at Suntec City, Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng noted that peace and stability is foundational to what Singapore is able to accomplish. This is as the economy can only thrive because the nation is secure, he said as he thanked businesses who have supported their NSmen, such as through flexible work arrangements. 'I thank those of you who have led by example, and I urge more to follow,' said Dr Tan, who is also Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology. 'Pro-NS policies are not just patriotic - they are good business ethics. They reflect leadership, resilience, and responsibility.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
