(continued) NANYANG UNIVERSITY (continued)

[Mr SPEAKER in the Chair]

Mr Speaker: Order. Before I invite supplementary questions, perhaps I had better indicate to hon. Members that it is my intention now to cut down supplementaries as much as possible. We have 58 questions to go through today, and I might remind hon. Members that questions are merely meant to obtain information or to press for action. I have been lenient up to now with supplementary questions, but I intend to try to and at least progress much faster than we have been doing.

We are on questions 28 and 29. Any supplementary questions?

Mr David Marshall: We understand from the Minister that there were two sittings of this Committee on negotiation with the Nanyang University last year. This is an unhappy position and an unhealthy one. I would ask the Minister whether he would consider making an earnest and urgent effort to reopen these negotiations.

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: Mr Speaker, Sir, it was indicated in the speech of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara on 31st October, 1961, that the Government is always ready to negotiate and discuss the matter and that we have hopes that this problem will be solved in the coming year. I think with that as an expression of hope, something will eventuate to the satisfaction not only of the Member for Anson but also of the taxpayers and the people of Singapore.

Mr Teo Hock Guan: Mr Speaker, Sir, one of the conditions laid down by the Government is that it will only give financial aid to Singapore citizens plus 15 per cent of the Federation citizens. But during the election, the P.A.P. promised to give financial aid -

Mr Speaker: Order. This is now entering into a debate and I intend being very strict about these matters. If the hon. Member wishes to enter into a debate as to what actual grant ought to be made, then let him file notice of motion. What is the supplementary question?

Mr Teo Hock Guan: Mr Speaker, what I want to know is this : where is the financial aid which the Government promised to give in 1959 during the election?

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: The answer to the question of the Member for Changi is this. We will give aid subject to reorganisation according to the recom mendations of the Nanyang University Review Committee's Report.

Mr Ong Chang Sam: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the former Parliament ary Secretary to the Minister for Culture and the Political Secretary to the Prime Minister disclosed in a Singapore newspaper that the Liaison Committee of the University and the Government would soon convene a meeting. May I ask the Minister when this meeting will be convened? What steps will the Government take to have this meeting convened? The earlier the meeting is convened, the better. May I also ask whether the Minister will accept the recommendations of Nanyang University Old Boys Association as a basis for negotiation?

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: It looks as if my reply to the Member for Choa Chu Kang will have to be again to say that the Government is prepared to negotiate this matter and that we have hopes it can be solved in the coming year.