COMMUNITY CENTRE ACTIVITIES (Malay participation)

[Mr Deputy Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Community Development what efforts he is making or has made to get more persons from the Malay community to take part in the activities of community centres.

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I am answering this question as it concerns community centres run by the People's Association.

Since its establishment on 1st July 1960, the PA and its community centres have been organizing and promoting cultural, sports, educational, social, recreational and other wholesome activities for all racial, age, language and income groups to help build a cohesive multi-racial nation.

Within this multi-racial framework, the PA and its community centres have continued to promote Malay participation in the management and activities of the community centres.

At the management level, there are 174 Malays or 8.4% out of 2,061 members in the community centre management committees or CCMCs. More Malays will be appointed to the CCMCs. These Malay leaders help the CCMCs to manage the community centres. With their assistance, numerous activities which appeal to the Malays have been organized and many Malay interest groups have been formed.

The activities which appeal to the Malays include sepak takraw, silat, Malay draught, Malay music and dance, kompang, hadrah and Malay cooking. More Malays are also attending cultural, continuing education and sports courses in community centres. For example, in 1985, 1986 and 1987, about 11,100, 12,400 and 13,300 Malays attended these courses respectively.

The formation of Malay interest groups at the community centres is important because they help to draw large followings. Hence, more Malay interest groups will be formed at the community centres. As of now, there are 186 Malay cultural, sports and interest groups in 44 modern community centres and 15 smaller centres. These groups have a sizeable membership of about 5,700. The target is to establish at least one Malay interest group in each of the 67 existing modern centres by the end of this year. Another eight modern centres will be completed this year. The PA will also form at least one Malay interest group in each of them next year.

The PA will continue to work closely with the Central Council of Malay Cultural Organizations (Majlis Pusat) and other Malay organizations to jointly organize and promote projects and activities for the Malay community. The PA and these Malay organizations have successfully co-organized silat, sepak takraw, Malay draught, singing competitions and other cultural and educational projects.

While the PA will continue to promote Malay participation in the management and activities of the community centres, I would like to emphasize the role of the CC as a "melting pot". We are also encouraging Malays and other racial groups to participate jointly in the activities of the CCs because our objective is to build a cohesive multi-racial country.

Mr Chiam See Tong: As regards educational activities, what is the level of Malay participation in them? I would also like to ask whether there are tuition classes given to Malay pupils in the CC?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Sir, I have already mentioned that some of the Malays have been participating in continuing education classes. Figures have been given. In terms of the other areas, for example, kindergartens, I think some Malays do enrol in CCs, but the problem is the question of the Malay language. If there is a demand, we may consider also having some classes in Malay. But at the moment, I think this is a problem area. So the participation of Malays are mainly in the cultural, sporting and continuing education areas.

Mr Chiam See Tong: What about tuition classes for Malays?

Mr Lee Yock Suan: Sir, I do not have specific information on that.