SINGAPORE ARMED FORCES OFFICERS (Preparation for a Political Career)

Mr J.B. Jeyaretnam asked the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence (a) whether it is the policy of the Government to prepare officers in the Armed Forces for a political career; and (b) how does the Government decide what political conferences army officers should be invited to attend and who should be selected.

The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence (Mr Goh Chok Tong): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government does not have a policy of preparing officers in the Armed Forces for political careers.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Would the Minister state whether or not military officers have been selected to attend political conferences?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Speaker, Sir, the answer is no. Perhaps the hon. Member for Anson could enlighten me if he has got evidence of any such instances.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Would the Minister say whether any officers attended the recent ASEAN Foreign Ministers' conference in Kuala Lumpur in July?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Sir, the answer is yes. I am surprised that that meeting is regarded as a political conference. In my view, a political conference is one where only politicians or parliamentarians attend. The meeting in question was a Foreign Ministers' meeting which included participation by officials. In that instance, an officer from the SAF was nominated to attend the conference.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Would the Minister say whether only one officer was nominated or more than one officer was nominated?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Sir, only one SAF officer was nominated to participate in the conference as a member of the Singapore delegation.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Would the Minister say what particular claim did this officer have to attend the Foreign Ministers' conference in Kuala Lumpur in July? And were the claims of any other officers considered?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Speaker, Sir, had the Member for Anson been honest with the members of the public in reproducing an article from The Star in the Hammer, he would have got the reason for the officer's attendance at the conference.

The Hammer of August 1985 reproduced an article by courtesy of The Star in which only two paragraphs, out of three paragraphs, were printed. I thought the ending in the article was quite abrupt. So I asked for the original of the extract from The Star and, true enough, one paragraph was missing. Had this paragraph been published, I think he would have known the reason for the officer's attendance. I will read to the Member the missing paragraph. It says:

'The Singapore Government makes it a practice to send its bright young citizens to conferences of this nature to acquaint themselves with international matters.'

I think the Member has not been honest in his publication.

An hon. Member: Hear, hear!

Mr Jeyaretnam: Would the Minister try and answer my question? The question is: what was the claim of this particular officer to attend the Foreign Minister's con- ference? Have I made myself clear, Mr Minister?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Speaker, Sir, the claim is as stated in the article: that he is a bright, young citizen in the public service of Singapore. And it is our policy to send our bright, young, civil servants to attend international conferences. It is to expose them and to acquaint them with international matters so that they will be better officers. Whether they are in the SAF or in the Administrative Service, it does not matter. That is the policy. If the Member for Anson is a gentleman, he should, in fact, print in the next issue of the Hammer an apology to The Star.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Is the Minister holding a brief for The Star in this Parliament? Would the Minister please try and answer my question? And the question, I repeat, is: what was the claim of this officer over all the other officers? Were any other officers considered? And what was his claim?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Sir, I do not hold a brief for The Star. But I do hold a brief for honesty and truth.

Some hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Mr Goh Chok Tong: And if truth has been missing in any articles printed by any publication, it is my duty to point it out to Members of the House. As to the specific question, I thought I have answered loud and clear. It is our policy to send young civil servants to such conferences so that they would benefit from the exposure. Other officers were, of course, considered. Some were sent earlier - in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985. Other officers were considered and one was selected.

Mr Jeyaretnam: May we know which officers were considered for this conference?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the Member for Anson is getting frivolous. Does he want me to list all the young officers in the SAF for Members of the House? It would be wasting our time.