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In his speech at a lunch organised by members of the Foreign Correspondents' Association of Southeast Asia, Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya Tunku Abdul Rahman thanks the press for their cooperation in publicising what his party has done for the country. Malaya is fortunate that the market value of its main industries is steady. Its strong economic position has enabled the country to meet its financial commitments and implement schemes without resorting to loans or imposing additional taxes. It is one of the few countries in the region to end the financial year with a budget surplus of well over 200 million dollars. The Tunku says that the country is fortunate that there was very little industrial unrest and no strikes in 1961. Although workers are not entirely happy with their lot, they have put up with conditions that will result in the economic and industrial well-being of the country. Labour union leaders have worked closely with the government. Touching on Singapore, he says that the Singapore government has done all it can for its people. However, he has read press reports about some dissatisfaction. The Tunku feels that it will be good if the people of both Singapore and Malaya can decide to make Malaya their one and only home and forget the communist way of life. If communism takes root here, there will be a flight of capital, closure of industries, unemployment, regimentation of thought and no freedom of speech or the press. This will lead to a socialist state like Cuba where there are no elections. He urges the people to accept Malay as the national language. The Malayan Chinese Association has done so. There are many Chinese schools in Malaya and the Alliance government's policy is to subsidise all schools and give free primary education to all vernacular schools. The Tunku wants Malaya to have more political and economic cooperation with Britain, Singapore, Borneo, Brunei and Sarawak. Malaya and the Philippines have also suggested a plan to form an Association of Southeast Asia to forge economic and cultural cooperation and not for defence purposes.