ASEAN TRAINING AWARDS (Particulars)

Dr Lau Teik Soon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the number of ASEAN training awards offered and the number actually taken up by each of the other ASEAN members for the year 1976/77, and how these awards have promoted ASEAN cooperation.

The Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Mr Lee Khoon Choy) (for the Minister for Foreign Affairs): In the years 1967 to 1976 Singapore has offered 104 training awards to ASEAN members, out of which 32 have been taken up. These awards are meant to promote closer economic and industrial development in ASEAN.

I would like to say that, since these awards were taken up, our member ASEAN states have taken good advantage of the awards Which we have given and this has to a large extent helped in the promotion and exchange of technological expertise and has also helped to promote relations between ASEAN members.