MARINE PATROLS

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister of Defence whether the present strength of our marine patrols is sufficient and whether he considers it necessary to strengthen it further.

Mr Wee Toon Boon (for the Minister of Defence): Mr Speaker, Sir, the strength of our marine police patrols is just sufficient for our present purposes, as the marine police have received an additional 11 patrol boats this year. Additional craft are being built and it is proposed to increase the police fleet by a further 20 launches in early 1968. In addition to Marine Police patrols, immigration and customs patrols are also available.

Mr Tang See Chim: Mr Speaker, Sir, is the Minister of State aware that every month there is a considerable number of illegal immigrants coming into this country, and what measures is he going to take to prevent this?

Mr Wee Toon Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, as far as this department is concerned, every measure has been taken to prevent illegal immigrants. However, as the Deputy Prime Minister has pointed out at a public rally, among our population, we have unscrupulous people who just go and look for easy money. On one occasion the Member for Choa Chu Kang approached me and inquired why a certain person was being detained under the Internal Security Ordinance. That person was a local citizen who, by profession is a sampan man, indulged in the illegal transaction of bringing in Indonesian immigrants.