SINGAPORE DELEGATES TO AFRO-ASIAN CONFERENCE AT MOSHI

Mr Chan Sun Wing asked the Minister for Home Affairs whom did the delegates from Singapore attending the Afro-Asian Conference at Moshi represent, who paid for their expenses and who invited them to the conference.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, the delegates from Singapore attending the Afro-Asian Conference at Moshi went on behalf of the Government and the people of Singapore, the majority of whom have clearly indicated their support far merger and Malaysia. The delegates went there because we knew certain pro-Communist delegates were intending to use the Conference to move a resolution against Malaysia.

The Singapore Government paid for the delegates' expenses and the Government is proud of their modest contribution towards enlightening our non-Communist and non-aligned friends in Afro-Asia about Malaysia. The delegation went on the friendly advice of a neutral Afro-Asian country. The advice of this friendly neutral was that Singapore should not lose the opportunity to tell the truth about Malaysia to the non-Communist delegation of Afro-Asia who would attend the Conference.

Mr Low Por Tuck (Havelock): Will the Minister for Home Affairs tell us whether the Singapore delegation was officially invited to the Conference?

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have said just now that the Singapore delegates went there on behalf of the Singapore Government; and they went there on the advice of a friendly neutral Afro-Asian country-that we should not miss the opportunity to enlighten our friends.

Mr Low Por Tuck: Mr Speaker, Sir, from the reply of the Minister, it seems that there was no official invitation at all. It was only on the advice of a so-called friendly Afro-Asian country. We would like to know whether the Singapore delegation was officially invited to the Conference.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Singapore delegation did not gain admission although the majority of the delegation from the Credentials Committee supported their admission. Because of the unanimity rule for admission, the Indonesian Communists were able to frustrate the will of the majority, and even though they were not admitted, the delegation did manage, by patient and intensive lobbying, to frustrate the anti-Malaysia resolution of the Indonesian Communists. For this, the Singapore delegation deserves the thanks of all patriotic elements.

Mr Low Por Tuck: Mr Speaker, Sir, it seems that the Minister is not willing to inform the House whether they were invited. But according to his reply, it seems that the Singapore delegation simply just tried to gate-crash the Conference. Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask another supplementary question on the Singapore delegation. Is one member of the delegation by the name oil Othman Wok a Singapore delegate or a Malayan delegate?

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, Othman Wok is a Federation delegate. Singapore was invited to go there to seek admission to this Conference, but it was blocked by the Communists there.

Mr Tee Kim Leng (Pasir Panjang): (In Mandarin): According to what we know, Othman Wok was a representative of the Federation, but we do not know whether he was paid by the Federation or Singapore.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: I would suggest that the Member put his question to Inche Othman Wok.

Mr S. T. Bani (Thomson): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister for Home Affairs whether it is the general policy of the Government to send P.A.P. representatives uninvited and at the expense of the public to overseas conferences of this nature.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, may I just remind the Member for Thomson that over 70 per cent of the people of Singapore supported Malaysia?

Mr Low Por Tuck: Shame!