ROMANISED SPELLING COMMITTEE (Singapore representation on)

Inche Mohd. Ali Bin Alwi asked the Minister for Culture whether the Government will seek representation on the "Romanised Spelling Committee" formed by the Governments of the Federation of Malaya and the Republic of Indonesia.

Mr S. Rajaratnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government will seek representation on the Romanised Spelling Committee when it is opportune to do so.

At the moment, there are two Malay members of Radio Singapore sitting on the Committee but as nominees of the Federation Government. If the Member is interested in their names, one is Che Buyong Bin Hadil (Head of the Malay Schools Section) and the other is Che Ramli Bin Abdul Hadi. This, to some extent, provides the necessary link between Singapore and the Federation Government and Indonesia in this matter.

The Singapore Government could not have sought representation in the Committee itself because the Committee was set up as a result of a treaty of friendship which was signed between the Federation of Malaya and the Republic of Indonesia and, therefore, it was not possible for Singapore to ask to be represented in this particular Committee. But I understand that this Committee will soon be dissolved - perhaps within the next one or two months - and that a new Committee might be set up in which case we shall certainly endeavour to get representation in this new Committee.