CIVIL DEFENCE PROVISIONS IN TIME OF WAR

Mr David Marshall asked the Prime Minister whether the Government will consider the feasibility of Civil Defence provisions for the people in time of war.

The Prime Minister (Mr Lee Kuan Yew): Sir, token provision exists in the current Estimates to resuscitate the Civil Defence Corps should the necessity ever arise. Civil Defence provisions however, are only envisaged for the conventional type of warfare in what is now popularly called localised wars.

I am informed that the dropping of a nuclear bomb in the megaton range on any city would wipe out the whole population and devastate the whole area. Against such a catastrophe, civil defence measures, as is understood, would be quite unrealistic.

However, it is reported that some enterprising contractors in California, U.S.A., have made good sales of "fall-out" shelters. The Government understands, however, that these contractors are not sponsored by the U.S. Government.

Mr David Marshall: In the light of the knowledge the Prime Minister has of the potential calamity for this area, would he indicate whether Government would give its support for an anti-nuclear movement here?

The Prime Minister (Mr Lee Kuan Yew): Sir, I have always been a great supporter of all movements to ensure the preservation of mankind. But I would like to draw the attention of the Member for Anson to the fact that the danger is not particularly concentrated in any particular spot in the world. I see no particular incidence of annihilation being increased as a result of our being in a somewhat obsolete military base meant for localised wars in this area of the world. I am told that from time to time the Russians send off notes to not so friendly nations of their retaliatory and complete annihilative powers, and several governments have been in receipt of them, governments such as Pakistan and Turkey, who allow American bases and launching pads to be installed in their territories. However, I note that in none of the Russian notes to the United Kingdom Government has the Russian leader, Mr Khrushchev, singled out Singapore for special attention. However, that is not to say that I am not aware of the real danger of either slow death through a nuclear fallout or complete destruction of the world in a blazing holocaust if somebody accidentally misjudges the other side's temper and presses the button at the wrong time.

Mr David Marshall: Mr Speaker, could we have a reply to my question? Recognising the potential calamity for this area, would the Prime Minister indicate whether the Government would give its support for an anti-nuclear movement in this State? It is a simple question.

The Prime Minister (Mr Lee Kuan Yew): The first question was whether I, as Prime Minister, would support and I have indicated that I give support for all movements for the preservation and upliftment of mankind. Now, the question is whether the Government would give its support. Without having consulted my colleagues, Sir, I give the Member for Anson the full assurance that, as we are all human beings on this side of the House who would like to see the survival of the human race, including human beings on the opposite side of this House, we will support all movements which seek to preserve the human race, defective though it may be, from total annihilation. If the Member for Anson could only indicate the time and place at which his equivalent to the Committee of One Hundred would take action, we would ensure that adequate publicity is given to him through television, radio and other means.