TRIBUTE ABDUL - Perdana Library

TRIBUTE TO TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN
important initiatives" taken by the Tunku. The first was Malaya's
proposal in the United Nations to set up a Charter of Investments,
and the second was his proposal for closer co-operation, economically
and otherwise, between the States of South-East Asia. He also
paid tribute to the Tunku's statemanship in the international field.
I must mention one aspect of Belgian life, and that is the food.
Except for breakfast all our meals were eaten in different places,
and each restaurant or repast seemed to be even more splendid and
varied than the one before. I have often heard Belgians say with
quiet certitude that they have the best restaurants in Europe. They
must feel very sure of themselves, seeing they are next to France.
But [ can say now I am more than prepared to take their word for it.
We were particularly interested in the roads in Belgium, and in
the fact that they had managed to construct great highways - they
call them autostrades - in a country so closely populated that land
is at a high premium. We had seen the autobahnen of Germany
and we were to see the rijksweg of Holland as well. I must say that
after the winding narrow roads and lanes of England the highways
in Western Europe we saw were a motorist's delight.
At no point of his tour of Europe did the Tunku lose an
opportunity of achieving something of particular value to Malaya.
In Belgium there were two instances. At the Fabrique Nationale he
asked for samples of all their small arms to be despatched to the
Ministry of Defence here for examination and inspection. In
Brussels, too he asked an eminent civil engineer, M. Leon Marcel
Chapeaux, to come to the Federation and draw up a report and
design for the projected new International Airport of Kuala Lumpur.
The Tunku's only stipulation was that M. Chapeaux should not
arrive before he returned himself. As you know, the Belgian
expert is here now and has already started work. He was responsible
for the design of the airport of Leopoldville, the longest in
Africa, and for the terminal at Brussels, the newest in Europe. I
might mention he was also responsible for solving the traffic problem
in the heart of Brussels, but I am not expecting he will be asked to
investigate Batu Road.
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