CLARIFICATION BY THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR LAW

CLARIFICATION BY THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER FOR LAW:

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Law (Prof. S Jayakumar): Sir, I would like to make a clarification. During the Parliamentary sitting yesterday, after my main answer to Question Nos. 3 and 4, I responded to a supplementary question from Ms Sylvia Lim when she asked about the timing of the compensation offer to Mr Dickson Tan and whether the urgency was brought about by a threat of lawsuit against the Government. When I answered her, I said I did not have the detailed choronology on that aspect. [ Please see

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report on 16th July 2007.** ] Yesterday evening, I checked with officials from the Attorney-General's Chambers. The facts are that a letter was received by the Prisons from Mr Dickson Tan's mother on 30th May asking for compensation and an apology, and containing a threat of legal proceedings. However, I am informed that well before the receipt of the letter, in mid-April, the Attorney-General's Chambers and the Subordinate Courts had already been in discussion on what could be a fair settlement sum after the Attorney-General had ascertained that an error was made. At the end of April, the Attorney-General's Chambers liaised with the Prisons and Subordinate Courts to meet up with Mr Dickson Tan to discuss a settlement offer. As he would be released on Home Detention Scheme on 17th May, the Attorney-General's Chambers felt that it would be better to meet him after he was placed on Home Detention Scheme. Prisons then sought to arrange a meeting for the parties to meet. The Attorney-General's Chambers confirmed the date of the meeting to be on 5th June and the meeting took place then. This confirmation, Sir, was given before the Attorney-General's Chambers received the letter from Mr Dickson Tan's mother.

**Col. 1005, 16th July 2007.