DETENTIONS (Particulars)

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Home Affairs and Second Minister for Law (a) whether he will give the number of persons detained as of 1st May 1985 under (i) The Internal Security Act; (ii) The Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act; (iii) The Misuse of Drugs Act; and (iv) The Immigration Act, giving in each case the length of the detention grouped under five year intervals; and (b) the justification for the continued detention of persons under the Internal Security Act.

Prof. S. Jayakumar: Internal Security Act

As of 1st May 1985, only one person was detained under Section 8 of the Internal Security Act. He is Chia Thye Poh, a member of the illegal Communist Party of Malaya (CPM). Chia was specifically instructed by the CPM to penetrate the Barisan Sosialis and engage in Communist United Front agitation to destabilize the Government. This he did by mounting a series of illegal demonstrations and industrial strikes. Chia was therefore placed under preventive detention in November 1966. He will be released as soon as he is prepared to give a public undertaking disowning the CPM's use of force and terror to overthrow the Government.

There were others who were arrested for purposes of investigation in connection with a case of illegal transhipment of arms through Singapore. These investigations led to the detention, on 8 May, of Shankar Gopal and William Tan Cheng Siew. All the others have since been released. Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act

The number of persons detained under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act is as follows: (a) Secret Society and Criminal Activities 0-5 years - 617 6-10 years - 113 11-15 years - 4 (b) Drug Traffickers 0-5 years - 617 6-10 years - 85 11-15 years - 2 Misuse of Drugs Act

3,980 persons were detained for rehabilitation and treatment in Drug Rehabilitation Centres under the Misuse of Drugs Act. All were detained for less than five years. 2,215 or 56% were detained for less than one year. Immigration Act

As on 1st May l985, 189 persons were detained under the Immigration Act for less than five years. 170 of them or 90% were detained for less than a month. They were mainly persons arrested for overstaying and awaiting repatriation.