UNDESIRABLE ACTIVITIES OF CERTAIN FOREIGN-ORIENTATED ORGANISATIONS IN SINGAPORE

Mr S. V. Lingam (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, Sir, our Republic of Singapore has a multi-racial, multi-religious and multi-lingual society. It does not belong to any particular race. The Government has given full freedom to the various groups of people in Singapore to exercise their own rights and principles in the broad context of a multi-racial society, for example, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and freedom of association. Time and again our Ministers have spoken to the people on these matters and reminded them of the duties and responsibilities towards society.

It is understood that all registered organisations in Singapore should have faith and interest in our country and work for our people. But there are some organisations who, though registered in Singapore, have their loyalties, directly or indirectly, somewhere else outside Singapore. They have more connections with foreign countries. Their activities show that they are more interested in the people and organisations outside this country. Sir, I have in my mind the Singapore Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, in short, D.M.K., registered in Singapore under the Societies Act. Even though this society claims to look after the interest of the people of Singapore, there is evidence to show that this organisation has, in all respects, connections with the D.M.K, in Madras. For example, the society bears the exact name of the political party in power in Madras State of India, the D.M.K., except for the addition of Singapore before its name. Its symbol is the rising sun which is the same as that of the D.M.K., the political party of a foreign State.

The present set-up of our country is not in favour of having one language or one religion. That is why we are preaching and practising multi-lingualism and multi-religion. There are societies formed on the basis of different races and religions, but they all work for one nation and that is Singapore. We can have many cultures, many religions and many languages. But our nation -nationhood should be one. We may be diversified in language and religion - but we should have unity and oneness in loyalty.

Sir, I would like to quote from the Mirror of Opinion, a publication of the Ministry of Culture, dated 24th August, 1967, page 10. Under the heading Tamil Press appears a translation of the speech by the General Secretary of the Singapore D.M.K. at the dinner given to Mr Manoharan, a leader of Madras D.M.K. and an Indian Member of Parliament, by the Singapore D.M.K. on Sunday, 20th August. He said:

`Mr Manoharan's visit (incidentally, this visit of Mr Manoharan was the second one within a few years, at the invitation of the Singapore D.M.K.) has given life and strength to the Singapore D.M.K.'

Sir, I would also like to bring to the attention of the House another passage from page 2 of the Mirror of Opinion, dated 23rd August, 1967, under the same heading. The Indian Parliamentary Member said:

`First you must have faith in yourself. Have faith in Tamil. If it is true that you have faith in Tamil, have faith in us. If you have faith in us, then you, should have faith in Anna (Mr C. N. Annadurai, Chief Minister of Madras) who is above everything. If you develop these faiths, your future will never be bleak.'

This was said at the 9th anniversary celebrations of the Kampong Bahru Branch of the Singapore D.M.K. on 19th August, 1967. Mr Speaker, Sir, "in us" means not in our leaders or our Ministers, but "in them", in the foreign leaders and Ministers. These two quotations, few of the many, will bear evidence that the Singapore D.M.K, really has connections with the D.M.K. in Madras. But the local D.M.K. has, time and again, denied any connections with the Madras D.M.K. Sir, I quote again from the Mirror of Opinion dated 2nd August, 1967. This is on page 2, paragraph 7:

`Since the Singapore D.M.K. has categorically denied having any links with the D.M.K. of Madras, the English and Tamil news announcements over Radio on July 30, as "this Kural Conference being sponsored by the Singapore branch of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam of Madras State" are wrong - Reader's letter under "Flower and Thorn" column. (MALAR).'

But, Sir, I doubt this statement of the local D.M.K. since their actions do not prove their words. Here is a copy of "KOLGAI MUZHAKKAM" -the organ of the Singapore D.M.K. In every issue, more than half of the pages are devoted to printing the speeches of Mr C. N. Annadurai and his colleagues. The organ symbolises the photo of Mr Annadurai. From this alone, I am sure the Members of the House may find the truth of the statement of the Singapore D.M.K. denying links with the Madras D.M.K.

Let us now look into the functions organised by the Singapore D.M.K. All the functions are graced by the presence of one or more leaders of the Madras D.M.K. But the organisers are careful to invite local leaders too. And on one such occasion, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr S. Rajaratnam, at a meeting held on 29th July, 1967, at the Conference Hall, had advised the Indians in Singapore: "Think of Singapore first and others secondary, and Tamils in Singapore should not think of themselves only but to care for the general interest of the people of Singapore." And the Minister for Social Affairs at a meeting of the Singapore D.M.K. Pasir Panjang Branch reminded the members to co-operate with the Government. This is reported on page 1 of the Mirror of Opinion dated 19th August, 1967. But I am doubtful how many of the Singapore D.M.K. members took this advice.

Talking about the functions makes us look into the financial side of this organisation. They have collected a fairly large amount towards a building fund. But to date I do not know what has happened to this money. Seldom was there a function without a leader from Madras, and they spend big sums for their visits. The highlight was in 1965. An official of the local D.M.K. was sent to Madras to invite a prominent member of the Madras D.M.K. and make other arrangements for his visit. In addition to the passage-fare of this official, another $500 was paid to him for pocket expenses. And for the visit of the Madras leader itself, a total of $34,658.92 was spent. The air passage for this leader and one of his colleagues came to $5,369. Here I wish to mention that even a first-class air passage for Madras-Singapore-Madras would cost only $2,204 for two persons. I leave the rest to the Members. And again, gifts worth $4,118.10 were given to the visitors.

Sir, I am informed that a few members of the Singapore D.M.K., who were unhappy about these expenses, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister with a copy to the Registrar of Societies.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I have given a list of items. I can quote numerous instances to prove that the Singapore D.M.K, is foreign-orientated and that it is spending money not for the interests of Singaporeans. But I do not wish to take up the precious time of the House since I think a few examples will do. In view of the present situation and as we have reached the limits of our patience, I request the Minister to look into the accounts and activities of the said organisation and take the necessary action.

Mr Lim Kim San: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the D.M.K, is an organisation registered as a cultural organisation and is therefore prohibited from taking part in any political activities. I do not know the composition of its members. Probably there are some who have just obtained Singapore citizenship and there may be some who are not local citizens as yet. Therefore, perhaps there is a tendency for these people to be orientated outwards.

We are a democratic society and we believe more in the art of persuasion and example rather than by using force. We believe that by our example and through persuasion we can make the immigrant races in Singapore come to realise that Singapore is their home and that their loyalty lies here. I think this must have been in the minds of both my colleagues, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, when he addressed the D.M.K. and advised them to think of Singapore first, and the Minister for Social Affairs, who at one of their functions strongly urged that they should co-operate with the Singapore Government.

Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the enthusiastic response of the people of Singapore to national service and the present spirit prevailing in Singapore will make whatever organisation there is realise soon that if they are not Singapore-orientated but foreign-orientated, they will be going against national sentiment and the national spirit and that it will not pay them to continue doing so. I expect that, given time, the members of the D.M.K. will probably be infected with the spirit of nationalism that is to be seen among the people of Singapore.

What the Member for Aljunied has brought up in this House, however, is quite disturbing, that there seems to be a very clear connection between the D.M.K. here and the D.M.K. in Madras and that probably they have been indulging in political activities. However, I would like to assure him that a strong reminder will be sent to the office-bearers of the D.M.K. to the effect that, as a cultural organisation, they are not to participate in any political activities, local or foreign, and that if they do so, they will infringe on the Societies Act and will have to bear the consequences.

With regard to the other point that the hon. Member has raised, the alleged misuse of funds will have to be left to the members of the organisation themselves, but I can assure him that I will look very closely into the question of the D.M.K.'s symbol and activities and will watch what they do in future with a hawk-like eye.

Question put, and agreed to.

Resolved,

That Parliament do now adjourn.

Adjourned accordingly at Twenty-one minutes past Six o'clock p.m. to a date to be fixed. Appendix to Oral Answer to Question No. 16, cols. 196-7 (Cols 0243-0246) Appendix to Oral Answer to Question No. 32, cols. 210-11 (Cols 247-50)