Written Reply by Minister for Law Mr Edwin Tong SC on Increasing Frequency of Inspection on Trees in Dempsey Area

8 September 2026 Posted in Parliamentary speeches and responses

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Ms Hany Soh (Member of Parliament for the Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC)

Question
To ask the Minister for Law (a) what is the frequency of checks conducted on trees located on land in the Dempsey area managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA); and (b) whether SLA will increase the frequency of checks on these trees to detect trees at risk of falling as early as possible.

Written Answer by Minister Edwin Tong SC:

1.      For the areas at Dempsey directly managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), trees are inspected every six months by certified arborists. They check the overall health and stability of the trees, including looking out for exposed roots and signs of decay.

2.      SLA’s tree inspection regime takes reference from the National Parks Board’s tree management regime, under which the frequency of tree inspections ranges from once every 6 to 24 months. As Dempsey is an area with significant traffic and activity, SLA has adopted the highest frequency in that range, of once every six months. SLA will continue to review whether further measures are necessary.

3.      In addition, some areas at Dempsey are managed by SLA’s master tenants and tenants, who are responsible for the maintenance of the properties, including the trees within. The fallen tree incident which happened on 22 August 2026 occurred within an area managed by a tenant.

4.      Immediately after the incident, the tenant engaged a certified arborist to check on the safety and integrity of trees around the area as a precautionary measure. The checks found the trees in the area surrounding the fallen tree to be safe. Nevertheless, the tenant is working with its arborist to strengthen the inspection and maintenance regime for the trees under its charge.

Last updated on 8 September 2026