NATIONAL THEATRE (Raising of funds)

Mr S. V. Lingam asked the Minister for Culture and Social Affairs why, even after the completion of the National Theatre, request programmes over Radio Singapura are being broadcast to raise funds for the Theatre.

Inche Othman Bin Wok: It is true that the National Theatre has been structurally completed to enable it to be used for various types of stage performances for a capacity audience of up to 3,400 people. However, the National Theatre as it is now is more elaborate than first envisaged. As a consequence many conveniences and facilities originally planned had to be deferred in order to finance a larger and better theatre. Funds are still required which a theatre of its kind should possess. For this reason public contribution through the purchase of request cards for the playing of favourite numbers over Radio Singapura still continues.

There are many rooms in the National Theatre which remain ill-equipped with furniture and other fittings. With the funds collected from the sale of request programme cards, suitable furniture will be bought and a number of rooms for performances and rehearsals air-conditioned.

Profits from hire of the Theatre as well as Trust organized shows are beginning to off-set the heavy expenditure of maintenance and annually recurrent expenditure. When greater profits are possible in the future, the funds thus earned would be used to promote further cultural activity by the Trust in the Republic by way of increasing training classes on a variety of art forms and the provisions of scholarships to suitable candidates in furtherance of the Republic�s cultural policies.