4 golf courses to close by 2035, leaving Singapore with 12 courses , Singapore News
The Ministry of Law (MinLaw), which oversees land policy and administration, said on July 7 that the leases or tenancies of Mandai Executive Golf Course, Warren Golf and Country Club, Orchid Country Club and Tanah Merah Country Club's Garden Course will not be renewed, as their land is needed for future plans.
This continues recent moves to reclaim golf course land for other uses. For instance, the Marina Bay Golf Course was closed in June 2024, and its site will be partially occupied by the upcoming Bay East Garden, which is currently being developed.
The leases of two other courses — Singapore Island Country Club's (SICC) 18-hole Bukit Course and Keppel Club's 18-hole Sime Course — will expire on Dec 31, 2030.
Thereafter, the two courses will be reallocated for public use, with at least one public 18-hole course.
MinLaw said a portion of the site occupied by the Bukit and Sime courses — which are next to each other — may be allocated to the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) for its members, given Orchid Country Club's impending lease expiry.
NTUC currently operates Orchid Country Club through NTUC Club.
The ministry added that how the land will be parcelled and allocated is being studied. It did not say how long the lease for the site would be beyond 2030.
The first of the four courses to close is the public nine-hole Mandai Executive Golf Course, which is on a tenancy that runs until Dec 31, 2026.
Its land will be used by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to develop an Outdoor Adventure Learning Centre. MOE has previously said this will be one of three new campsites to be built by 2032.
Another two courses will close in 2030, and their sites have been zoned for residential use, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority's Draft Master Plan 2025.
They are the 18-hole Warren Golf and Country Club in Choa Chu Kang, which has a lease that expires on Oct 31, 2030, and the 27-hole Orchid Country Club in Yishun, which has a lease that expires on Dec 31, 2030.
Finally, Tanah Merah Country Club's Garden Course will close after its lease expires on Dec 31, 2035.
"Given its proximity to Changi Airport, the land is being studied for uses that have synergies with the airport to support economic growth," MinLaw said, adding that more details on the site's future use will be announced closer to 2035.
Following the closures, Singapore is set to have 12 remaining golf courses after 2035, including the existing Bukit and Sime courses.
Of these, two will have their leases expire in 2030 and will be offered renewals until Dec 31, 2040 — the 18-hole course in Kranji under the National Service Resort and Country Club and Sentosa Golf Club's 18-hole Serapong Course.
Another seven are on leases that expire in December 2040.
They are: SICC's 18-hole Island Course and 27-hole New Course, Changi Golf Club's nine-hole course, Laguna National Golf Resort Club's two 18-hole courses, Seletar Country Club's 18-hole course, the 18-hole course at National Service Resort and Country Club (Changi), Sentosa Golf Club's 18-hole Tanjong Course and Tanah Merah Country Club's 18-hole Tampines Course.
The Government will review whether to renew these leases beyond 2040 in the future.
The last course, at Sembawang Country Club, has 18 holes and is operated by the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) under a licence agreement. The course sits on state land allocated to Mindef.
MinLaw said in deciding on whether to renew the leases of golf courses, it considered competing land demands such as housing, economic activities, transport infrastructure and essential services.
"The demand for land for national uses will become more acute in Singapore, and this will impact the amount of land available for golfing over time," the ministry said.
"The Government will balance the access to golfing facilities by private golf club members and the general public so that there can be golf courses catering to different segments of the golfing community."
The ministry noted that golf course leases are for a fixed term, with a publicly known end date, to allow course operators and golf club members to make informed decisions.
"This also ensures that land occupied by golf courses can be returned to the state and redeveloped for more pressing national needs in a timely manner," MinLaw said.
The ministry also said the Singapore Golf Association and the National Service Resort and Country Club will set up a second centre of excellence to provide more training opportunities for Singapore's national team and promote golf among youth.
It added that the centre will provide dedicated weekly slots for the golf association to facilitate national and youth team training and expose athletes to different types of golf courses.
This complements existing weekly trainings conducted by the golf association in other clubs, MinLaw said.
The new centre adds to an existing centre of excellence at Keppel Club's Sime Course, which develops youth golfers, the ministry said.
[[nid:719898]]
This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Straits Times
Tampines regional centre set to get more homes, offices and public amenities
Based on the draft masterplan, at least two residential plots and four commercial plots could be developed in Tampines regional centre. SINGAPORE – More homes, offices and public amenities are set to be built in the heart of Tampines, latest plans from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) show. Plans showcased at the URA's Draft Master Plan 2025 exhibition state that the added developments will 'future-proof Tampines Regional Centre for new live-work-play trends', such as by bringing offices and leisure facilities closer to homes. These are part of a decentralisation strategy that Singapore has pursued since 1991 that brings jobs out of the city centre and into residential towns. A URA spokesperson told The Straits Times on July 18 that the plans build on previous efforts to rejuvenate the regional centre and optimise land use, such as the development of Our Tampines Hub, which opened in stages from November 2016 and has amenities such as a library, sports facilities and a hawker centre under one roof. Based on the draft masterplan, at least two residential plots and four commercial plots could be developed in Tampines regional centre, which was established in 1992 and is about 37.5ha in size. Of these, three commercial plots are within an area that the authorities have identified for potential mixed-used developments, including a site that is about 5.4ha in size that currently houses the Tampines Bus Interchange, a Housing Board commercial block and a Central Provident Fund (CPF) Board building. Tampines MP Masagos Zulkifli had said in February that agencies were studying plans for a new integrated transport hub in the town centre , and the URA spokesperson said this could involve linking the Tampines stations on the Downtown and East-West MRT lines with the bus interchange. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Mindef, SAF units among those dealing with attack on S'pore's critical information infrastructure Asia How China's growing cyber-hacking capabilities have raised alarm around the world Asia At least 34 killed as tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam's Halong Bay Singapore 1 dead, 1 injured after dispute between neighbours at Yishun HDB block Singapore Vessels from Navy, SCDF and MPA to debut at Marina Bay in NDP maritime display Asia Autogate glitch at Malaysia's major checkpoints causes chaos for S'porean and foreign travellers Asia SIA, Scoot, Cathay Pacific cancel flights as typhoon nears Hong Kong Singapore A deadly cocktail: Easy access, lax attitudes driving Kpod scourge in S'pore This may be part of a new mixed-use development that is being studied, and could comprise residential and commercial spaces, said the URA spokesperson. Other integrated transport hubs – or developments with integrated bus interchanges that are linked to MRT stations – include Hillion Mall in Bukit Panjang and Bedok Mall. URA's Master Plan sets out the permissible land use and floor area of developments, and the latest draft was unveiled on June 25 and is expected to come into force later in 2025. There are also plans to reduce car usage within the Tampines town centre by making it more pedestrian-friendly. To this end, a 50m stretch of Tampines Central 5, between Tampines Mall and the East-West Line's Tampines station, will soon be pedestrianised. An artist's impression of the pedestrianised stretch of Tampines Central 5. PHOTO: LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY The Land Transport Authority had said in March that works could begin later in 2025. Other improvements outlined by the URA include 'green pedestrian streets' and 'community streets' that will cut across the town centre, allowing users to get to its various amenities on foot. A new centrally located public space will also be introduced, said URA. Plans show that this will be sited in front of the CPF building, in an area currently occupied by the bus interchange. Improvements outlined by the URA include streets that will cut across the town centre, allowing users to get to its various amenities on foot. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI The agency's spokesperson said agencies are currently consulting stakeholders and residents to shape plans, and details including the development timeline will be finalised only after ideas and feedback are reviewed. Analysts told The Straits Times that each housing plot in the regional centre that was identified in the draft masterplan could yield more than 300 units, if used for private homes. One plot is about 0.9ha in size and has been assigned a gross plot ratio of 3.0, and is located next to a plot earmarked for a healthcare facility. The other is about 1.1ha in size and has a plot ratio of 2.5. It previously housed an office building that was demolished within the last two years after its 15-year lease ended. Mr Alan Cheong, executive director of research and consultancy at Savills Singapore, said using the land for private housing will unlock the most value, given the premium that buyers would fork out to be close to the area's two MRT stations and surrounding amenities. Ms Tricia Song, head of research for South-east Asia at CBRE, added that given the relatively high concentration of public flats and executive condominiums in Tampines, there is scope to build private condominiums on these plots in the town centre. Analysts told The Straits Times that each housing plot in the regional centre that was identified in the draft masterplan could yield more than 300 units, if used for private homes. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI On the plans for more commercial spaces, both said that there is no immediate need to develop them, with other areas such as Bishan receiving more attention at URA's exhibition, and given the lacklustre response to Jurong Lake District's master developer tender in 2024 . Mr Cheong noted that office rents for Tampines are lower than in other regional centres – Jurong East and Woodlands – owing to the age of buildings and the lack of demand for the area. Ms Song added that continued investment in infrastructure, amenities, and business ecosystems will help to increase the appeal of regional centres such as Tampines, and added that the offices in the town – where rents could be up to half that of prime Central Business District buildings – could attract small and medium-sized enterprises and cost-conscious tenants. He noted that the 5.4ha plot and the 2.6ha plot – both earmarked for mixed-use developments with a plot ratio of 4.2 – are large enough to accommodate more than just commercial developments. Including housing on these plots will draw higher bids than keeping them purely for commercial uses, he said.
Singapore Law Watch
4 days ago
- Singapore Law Watch
$3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties
$3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties Source: Straits Times Article Date: 16 Jul 2025 Author: Samuel Devaraj The Director of Legal Services, a department under MinLaw, conducted investigations into 24 law practices, and 11 of the probes have been concluded. The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) has taken four law firms and one lawyer to task for anti-money laundering breaches over the purchase of properties in the $3 billion money laundering case, with one of the practices receiving the maximum penalty of $100,000. In a press release on July 15, MinLaw said it is supporting the Director of Legal Services (DLS) in conducting inquiries into the law practices that were involved in the conveyancing of the real estate seized in an anti-money laundering operation in August 2023. It said the DLS conducted investigations into 24 law practices that were involved, and 11 of the probes have been concluded. The DLS heads the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, which is a department under MinLaw that oversees the regulation of all law practice entities and the registration of foreign lawyers in Singapore. The DLS has ordered two law practices to pay financial penalties of $30,000 and $100,000 respectively. A third law practice was issued a statutory notice of the intention to order it to pay a financial penalty of $70,000. A final decision will be made after receiving and considering the firm's written representations, if any, MinLaw said. The ministry added that the DLS privately reprimanded a fourth law practice, and also referred one lawyer to the Law Society of Singapore for disciplinary action. MinLaw did not name the four law practices and the lawyer that have received enforcement action in its press release. The Straits Times has contacted the ministry for more information. The DLS has decided it will not be necessary to take further regulatory action against seven other law practices. Said MinLaw: 'The DLS is considering the inquiry findings for the remaining 13 law practices, and whether any lawyers concerned should be referred to the Law Society of Singapore for disciplinary action.' Among its roles, the Law Society maintains the standards of conduct of the legal profession in Singapore. MinLaw added that a law practice that breaches its anti-money laundering obligations can face regulatory control action against its licence. In response to queries from ST, a MinLaw spokesperson said law practices found to have breached their anti-money laundering obligations under the Legal Profession Act may be given a warning, ordered to pay a penalty of up to $100,000, or have their law practice licence suspended or revoked. A lawyer who breaches his or her anti-money laundering obligations can face disciplinary proceedings, which could result in monetary penalties, suspension from legal practice or disbarment. Singapore's largest case of money laundering involving $3 billion in cash and assets saw 10 foreigners arrested in multiple islandwide raids here on Aug 15, 2023. The nine men and one woman, who were originally from Fujian, China, were jailed, deported and barred from re-entering Singapore. MinLaw noted that all law practices and lawyers are subject to anti-money laundering obligations under the Legal Profession Act. These obligations include analysing money laundering risks relating to each client and performing customer due diligence measures that are commensurate with the client's risk profile. A law practice or lawyer also must file a suspicious transaction report (STR) with the police if they suspect the client may be engaged in money laundering, MinLaw noted. It added that if a law practice or lawyer decides to continue to act for the client despite these suspicions, it should substantiate and document the reasons for the decision. It must also adopt enhanced customer due diligence and monitoring measures. MinLaw said law practices must also have internal anti-money laundering policies, procedures and controls that fulfil the regulatory requirements and are sufficiently robust. The ministry said it issued a guidance note to the legal industry on June 23 to highlight the responsibilities of law practices and lawyers under their statutory anti-money laundering obligations. The note covered areas including analysing client risk, identifying material red flags, establishing a client's source of wealth and the timeline for filing an STR. MinLaw said that while Singapore has a comprehensive anti-money laundering regime, the landscape is constantly changing as new money laundering risks and methods emerge. It added: 'Everyone has a role in ensuring that Singapore's anti-money laundering systems continue to be robust, from the law enforcement agencies, to the service providers such as the financial institutions and law practices, to the general public.' The law firms and lawyer were the latest to be dealt with in relation to the $3 billion money laundering case. On July 4, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said nine financial institutions were given $27.45 million in composition penalties, and action was taken against 18 staff. MAS said the financial institutions did not adequately check on customers' sources of wealth, even though there were discrepancies in the documents they had provided. Eight of the nine institutions did not adequately investigate suspicious transactions flagged by their own systems. For the staff, breaches included failure to detect or adequately assess multiple deficiencies during the onboarding of higher-risk customers. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
AsiaOne
5 days ago
- AsiaOne
$3b money laundering case: MinLaw acts against 4 law firms and 1 lawyer over seized properties , Singapore News
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) has taken four law firms and one lawyer to task for anti-money laundering breaches over the purchase of properties in the $3 billion money laundering case, with one of the practices receiving the maximum penalty. In a press release on July 15, MinLaw said it is supporting the Director of Legal Services (DLS) in conducting inquiries into the law practices that were involved in the conveyancing of the real estate seized in an anti-money laundering operation in August 2023. It said the DLS conducted investigations into 24 law practices that were involved, and 11 of the probes have been concluded. The DLS heads the Legal Services Regulatory Authority, which is a department under MinLaw that oversees the regulation of all law practice entities and the registration of foreign lawyers in Singapore. The DLS has ordered two law practices to pay financial penalties of $30,000 and $100,000 respectively. A third law practice was issued a statutory notice of the intention to order it to pay a financial penalty of $70,000. A final decision will be made after receiving and considering the firm's written representations, if any, MinLaw said. The ministry added that the DLS privately reprimanded a fourth law practice, and also referred one lawyer to the Law Society of Singapore for disciplinary action. MinLaw did not name the four law practices and the lawyer that have received enforcement action in its press release. The Straits Times has contacted the ministry for more information. The DLS has decided it will not be necessary to take further regulatory action against seven other law practices. Said MinLaw: "The DLS is considering the inquiry findings for the remaining 13 law practices, and whether any lawyers concerned should be referred to the Law Society of Singapore for disciplinary action." Among its roles, the Law Society maintains the standards of conduct of the legal profession in Singapore. MinLaw added that a law practice that breaches its anti-money laundering obligations can face regulatory control action against its licence. In response to queries from The Straits Times, a MinLaw spokesperson said law practices found to have breached their anti-money laundering obligations under the Legal Profession Act may be given a warning, ordered to pay a penalty of up to $100,000, or have their law practice licence suspended or revoked. A lawyer who breaches his or her anti-money laundering obligations can face disciplinary proceedings, which could result in monetary penalties, suspension from legal practice or disbarment. Singapore's largest case of money laundering involving $3 billion in cash and assets saw 10 foreigners arrested in multiple islandwide raids here on Aug 15, 2023. The nine men and one woman, who were originally from Fujian, China, were jailed, deported and barred from re-entering Singapore. MinLaw noted that all law practices and lawyers are subject to anti-money laundering obligations under the Legal Profession Act. These obligations include analysing money laundering risks relating to each client and performing customer due diligence measures that are commensurate with the client's risk profile. A law practice or lawyer also must file a suspicious transaction report (STR) with the police if they suspect the client may be engaged in money laundering, MinLaw noted. It added that if a law practice or lawyer decides to continue to act for the client despite these suspicions, it should substantiate and document the reasons for the decision. It must also adopt enhanced customer due diligence and monitoring measures. MinLaw said law practices must also have internal anti-money laundering policies, procedures and controls that fulfil the regulatory requirements and are sufficiently robust. The ministry said it issued a guidance note to the legal industry on June 23 to highlight the responsibilities of law practices and lawyers under their statutory anti-money laundering obligations. The note covered areas including analysing client risk, identifying material red flags, establishing a client's source of wealth and the timeline for filing an STR. MinLaw said that while Singapore has a comprehensive anti-money laundering regime, the landscape is constantly changing as new money laundering risks and methods emerge. It added: "Everyone has a role in ensuring that Singapore's anti-money laundering systems continue to be robust, from the law enforcement agencies, to the service providers such as the financial institutions and law practices, to the general public." The law firms and lawyer were the latest to be dealt with in relation to the $3 billion money laundering case. On July 4, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said nine financial institutions were given $27.45 million in composition penalties, and action was taken against 18 staff. MAS said the financial institutions did not adequately check on customers' sources of wealth, even though there were discrepancies in the documents they had provided. Eight of the nine institutions did not adequately investigate suspicious transactions flagged by their own systems. For the staff, breaches included failure to detect or adequately assess multiple deficiencies during the onboarding of higher-risk customers. [[nid:719802]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
