PROFESSIONAL VISIT PASSES (Numbers)

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will give the number of foreigners working in Singapore on professional visit passes as at 1st March 1984 in the following sectors: (i) Oil industry; (ii) Manufacturing industry; (iii) Construction industry; (iv) Banking; and (v) Business Houses.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Prof. S. Jayakumar) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, professional visit passes are only issued to foreigners on specific short-term engagements ranging from one day to few months. Statistics are not kept according to the format requested, as the numbers involved are small. Professional visit passes are usually issued to singers. stage performers, dancers, magicians, concert musicians and participants of professional seminars. In 1983, 5,392 passes were issued.

Mr Yeo Choo Kok (Delta): Sir, would the Minister tell the House whether any firm in the oil industry, manufacturing industry, banking or law firm has ever applied for these passes?

Prof. Jayakumar: Mr Speaker, Sir, I do not have all the detailed information. I think some countries may indeed need magicians for their banking problems! But to the best of my knowledge, the sectors that he mentioned do not have such performers.

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam (Anson): It must have been obvious to the Minister that we were talking about employment passes. Has he got the figures of employment passes issued to foreigners to work in Singapore?

Prof. Jayakumar: Mr Speaker, Sir, it looks like Ministers have to read the mind of the Member for Anson. If he wants us to take him seriously we must assume that he means what he says. If he asks a question about "professional visit passes", we must assume, by any reasonable construction, that he means professional visit passes. If he wants to ask a separate question on employment passes, he can do so on another occasion and, having seen the question, we will see whether an answer can be given.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, I ask the question now. Perhaps the Minister would like to give us these numbers at the next sitting of the House.