He said the government was prepared to consider holding cabinet ministers' meeting in states or at certain places of interest when or if the situation warranted for such decision.

Tiong was responding to the reply of Parliament Secretary in the Prime
Minister's Department, KhamisiyahYeop to his question at the Parliament
session recently.  

Tiong had asked the Prime Minister to explain whether the cabinet ministers' could be held in areas identified like Bintulu that could potentially contribute or generate income to the country, so that the Cabinet Ministers could explore the potentials and problems faced in the towns that the cabinet visited.

He said there had been precedents that cabinet ministers were held outside Prime Minister's department such as in Kuching, Sarawak, Sabah, Kuala Trengganu, Pahang, Penang and Langkawi.

"I am not surprised if the cabinet might one day want to hold its meeting here in Bintulu," he said.

Tiong said the reason cabinet ministers' meetings were held outside the Prime Minister's Department was to allow the ministers to closely examine and see the progress of certain projects, which are being implemented in those areas.

Another question on the steps taken by the National Unity and Community Development Minister to strengthen the relations between the people in West Malaysia and East Malaysia as there are still sentiments of parochialism and suspicion, Tiong said the Ministry had always given serious attention to the efforts in fostering stronger relationship between the people in the peninsular and Sabah and Sarawak.

He said the Minister had outlined several programs, which had been and were currently implemented to wipe out all sentiments of parochialism and suspicion amongst the people in the country.

"Various integration programs have and are being arranged by the ministry and the government, generally. These include unity visits and state ethnic group celebration such as Hari Gawai being celebrated in the peninsular."

"Others are like exchange programs of federal officers to Sabah and Sarawak and other cultural and educational tours organized by institutions of higher learning," he said.

Tiong said from the monitoring and assessment carried out from time to time, it clearly showed the negative attitude between the people in these three regions had subsided.

"This is to show that the programs implemented by the government has given a positive effect on the national integration and thus, they could reduce the cultural gaps and differences amongst all people in the country," he said....END WITH NO PHOTO.