First it was Jurong Country Club that got acquired by authorities for the KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail project — the 67-hectare club closed on Dec 31 last year, way ahead of its lease expiry in 2035.
Then yesterday, Raffles Country Club, which was founded in 1988, announced its acquisition by the authorities as well. The 143-hectare space in Tuas — the largest land acquisition in recent years — is apparently needed for the Cross Island Line’s western depot and other transport uses. According to a letter from the Singapore Land Authority, the club will have to leave its premises by Jul 31, 2018.
Under the Land Acquisition Act, the club will be compensated full market value.
Members were shocked by the scale of the acquisition, as they were prepared to have the government take only some of the club’s land. Most of the 2,600 members are waiting for details on compensation before deciding what to do next, and some have expressed caution towards purchasing any other golf memberships.
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