STATUS OF NANYANG UNIVERSITY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOVERNMENT (Statement by the Minister for Education)

Mr Yong Nyuk Lin: Mr Speaker, Sir, the White Paper on Merger setting out the Heads of Agreement between the Federation of Malaya and Singapore (Command Paper 33 of 1961) which was passed, without dissent, by the Legislative Assembly on 6th December, 1961, allows for local autonomy in education for Singapore, and therefore the position of Nanyang University is not in any way affected by the merger proposals.

The Member for Anson is doubtless aware that under the Barisan Sosialis proposal for the so-called "complete merger", which he supports, the Singapore Government must treat Nanyang University in the same manner as the Federation Government does. If education is not a subject of local autonomy, there will be no question of recognising Nanyang University or doing anything to assist it until it conforms to the national education policy. Even the bursaries we now pay to Singapore students at Nanyang University will have to cease.

I find it difficult to reconcile the Member for Anson's apparent concern for Nanyang University with his support for a type of merger which means Nanyang University will have to comply with the Rahman Talib Report or not to be supported at all and so upset Chinese educationists in general.

On 31st October, 1961, in the Speech of the Yang di-Pertuan Negara, Hansard, Vol. 15, No. 1, column 22, mention was made of Nanyang University in the following words:-

`The Government is as anxious as the founders of Nanyang University that the University should be reorganised. Towards this end, a liaison committee comprising representatives of the Government and the University held several meetings last year to discuss ways and means of implementing the recommendations made by the Nanyang University Review Committee. Although no agreement has been reached by the liaison committee, nonetheless the Government is always ready to negotiate and discuss this matter. There are hopes that this problem will be solved in the coming year.'

On 27th November last, at a dinner given by the Prime Minister to the President and 9 members of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce which included Mr Tan Lark Sye, discussions were held on the arrangements for local autonomy on education and labour, trade and commerce, language and citizenship. The Prime Minister then suggested to Mr Tan that there should be agreement between the present Council of Nanyang University and the Ministry of Education as soon as possible before July or August 1962 so that provisions could be included in the budget for 1963. Mr Tan Lark Sye suggested, with the other members of the Chamber of Commerce present agreeing, that the matter could be left to informal discussions between a member of the Chamber present who was named, and Mr Lee Khoon Choy, my Parliamentary Secretary, who was also a Government representative in the Liaison Committee which carried out discussions with the Nanyang University Council in 1960.

One of the outstanding matters before agreement can be reached is the question of representation in the new University Council. The Government stand is that the balance of representation in the Council would and should leave academic policy decisions with the academicians and teachers in the University, whereas the proposals of the present Nanyang University authorities meant that all policy decisions both academic and otherwise should be with the merchants who first sponsored the University.

The Government was and is of the view that, although the public-spiritedness and interest in education of our Chinese merchants deserve praise for having helped to create Nanyang University, merchants and businessmen are not necessarily the best qualified people to decide academic and educational matters involved in the running of the University.

The Government is prepared to discuss all details, including annual grants by the Government to Nanyang University, in accordance with the principles of the Gwee Ah Leng Review Committee's Report. In this connection, Dr Gwee Ah Leng has referred me to reports published in both the Nanyang Siang Pau and the Sin Chew Jit Poh dated 27th January, 1962, attributed to Mr Tan Lark Sye at a dinner speech of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce held at the Ee Ho Hean Club on 26th. January in which Mr Tan alleged that Dr Gwee had to amend his report three times because the Government was not satisfied with it. Dr Gwee informed me that he had written to Mr Tan Lark Sye by registered post, asking him to correct this unfounded statement. With Dr Gwee's permission, I wish to table a photostat copy of his letter in Chinese. for information of the House. If you will permit me, Sir, to read the English translation which goes as follows:- 27th January, 1962. `Chairman Tan, I have read in a report in the Nanyang Siang Pau of 27th instant of your speech on Nanyang University at the dinner in Ee Ho Hean Club. There is some misunderstanding which I would like to clarify. The amendments to the draft report were necessary to arrive at a Unanimous decision. It is not as you say because the Government was not satisfied with it. As far as I can remember I have never expressed to you my regrets in this matter as far as the Nanyang University is concerned. I am not concerned with this personally, but I think the public should not be confused. That is why I have raised this matter and hope appropriate steps will be taken to correct this. Sd. Dr Gwee Ah Leng.'

Photostat copy of Dr Gwee Ah Leng's letter to Mr Tan Lark Sye handed in.