ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS URBAN AND RURAL SERVICES CO-ORDINATION COMMITFEE (Printing of forms in Malay)

Inche Mohd. Ali Bin Alwi asked the Prime Minister, with reference to the "Public Enquiries and Complaints" and "Application for installation of standpipes" forms issued by the Urban and Rural Services Co-ordination Committee, why such forms are printed only in Chinese and English, why are they not also printed in Malay, and whether he will arrange to have these forms printed in Chinese, English and Malay.

The Prime Minister: Mr Speaker, Sir, may I preface my answers to the first three questions by saying that they are matters directly dealt with by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for National Development who, unfortunately, is indisposed and will not be able to answer in person?

The answer to the first question is that instructions have been given for the forms to be printed in Malay and Tamil, as well as in English and Chinese. Because the special needs of the Malays are different and are under constant review by the Rural Board, the District Office Islands, the Urban and Rural Services Council, the Secretary, Malay Settlements, and the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of National Development - these special forms were not considered applicable for special Malay areas. However, to avoid the appearance of different treatment, forms in Malay and Tamil will also be made available in future in non-Malay areas and in Malay areas.

Inche Mohd. Ali: (In Malay): Mr Speaker, I am not satisfied with the answer why the existing forms could not be used in Malay areas; whereas, in fact, in my area I am using such forms.

The Prime Minister: The forms which were issued, Mr Speaker, Sir, were general application forms, and the forms which were intended to be issued foil special Malay areas were different. But since the matter was raised in this way by the Member for Kampong Kembangan, we have decided not to issue special forms for Malay areas, and to use the same forms even for Malay areas.