GOVERNMENT CULTURAL MISSION TO INDONESIA

Inche Mohd. Ali Bin Alwi asked the Minister for Culture whether and approximately when a Government Cultural Mission will be sent to Indonesia.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Culture (Mr Lee Khoon Choy) (for the Minister for Culture): (In Malay): I have been asked to reply. It is the Government's intention to send a cultural mission to Indonesia, but it is not possible at present to name a date for the following reasons:-

(1) Finances for such a mission will have to be found;

(2) It will take time to gather a team of talents of sufficiently high calibre; and

(3) A date will have to be fixed, convenient to the Indonesian Government.

Inche Mohd. Ali: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, could the Government say definitely that they cannot find the money and talents for such a mission? And could they not negotiate with the Indonesian Government in regard to the fixing of a convenient date?

Mr Lee Khoon Choy: (In Malay): I require notice to reply to the question just raised by the Member for Kampong Kembangan.