MINISTER FOR HEALTH'S VISIT TO JAPAN (Benefit to Singapore)

Mr John Ede asked the Minister for Health what benefits have accrued to Singapore from his recent visit to medical institutions in Japan.

Mr Braga: Mr Speaker, Sir, the visits to medical institutions, in particular, the new hospitals, the teaching hospitals, and polyclinics have enabled us to study economical methods and their medical application in a progressive eastern country and the achievements they have been able to report. These observations are now under study and there is reason to believe that both improvements and reduction in costs can be brought about in this colony by using some of the practical and money-saving devices now being used in Japan.

Mr John Ede: Mr Speaker, Sir, is the Minister aware that the report he has made could equally well have been made by officials in his Ministry?

Mr Braga: Mr Speaker, Sir, that would be true had the invitation of the Japanese Government been one limited only to attend medical conferences or a conference of medical planners, or purely of professional personnel. The invitation extended to me, as I understood it and as it turned out to be, was not one only to inspect medical institutions and teaching hospitals, but also a goodwill mission. My conversations with the Prime Minister and with men of the top rank, both officially and unofficially, and the exchange of views are in my opinion most useful and contribute to the better understanding of our two Asian countries.

Inche Ahmad Bin Ibrahim: Would the benefits which the Minister expects to accrue from his Japanese trip in terms of dollars and cents be more than the total cost to Government of his mission?

Mr R. Jumabhoy: What was the cost to the public revenue of his trip, Sir?

Mr Braga: Mr Speaker, Sir, I must have notice of this question.