§ 66. Mr. S. O. Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Chinese language, spoken by 40 per cent. of the inhabitants of Malaya, is not given equal status with that of English and Malay in the elementary schools of Malaya.
§ Mr. LytteltonMalay and English are the official languages of the Federation. The policy is to use one for instruction in the national schools now being established, and to teach the other as a subject. But it is no part of this policy to suppress any of the various racial cultures. It is therefore the intention to teach Kuo Yu as an additional language in any class containing 15 or more children, for which this is desired.
§ 67. Mr. S. O. Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Chinese schools have been compulsorily closed in Malaya during 1950, 1951 and 1952; and what were the reasons for their closing.
§ Mr. LytteltonI am consulting the High Commissioner and will circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.