COMMON MARKET WITH FEDERATION (Progress)

Mr David Marshall asked the Minister for Finance whether he will make a statement as to what progress has been made with regard to the achievement of a proposed Common Market with the Federation.

Dr Goh Keng Swee: Mr Speaker, Sir, the two Governments have submitted a request to the United Nations to despatch a high-powered team to Malaya and Singapore.

The Governments propose that the mission should be headed by a certain distinguished international figure who was one of the principal architects of the European Economic Community. This person, however, has found difficulty in accepting this invitation because of his other international commitments.

The Deputy Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya, Tun Abdul Razak, has written a personal letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, U Thant, requesting his intercession on behalf of the two Governments.

Mr David Marshall: The Minister informed this House five months ago on the 17th of November of this request. Are we to understand that in fact there have been no developments in the past five months?

Dr Goh Keng Swee: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have already indicated that this international dignitary had been approached and that there was some difficulty in arranging a suitable timetable for him to come here. Without going into details, the present position is that the Deputy Prime Minister of the Federation Government has himself appealed directly to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to make it possible for this person to come here.