ARREST OF PATRICK SEONG AND RE-ARREST OF 8 EX-DETAINEES (Adverse publicity)

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether he is aware that the re-arrests of the 8 ex-detainees and Patrick Seong on 19th April, 1988 under the Internal Security Act are attracting worldwide adverse publicity for Singapore, particularly from the English-speaking countries.

Prof. Jayakumar: Mr Speaker, Sir, I know that certain groups and individuals have from outside Singapore protested vociferously against the Government's action. They are mostly the same persons who protested last year when the original arrests were made. As I explained to the House on 31st August last year, many of them have vested interests and highly questionable motives.

Human rights groups, such as Asiawatch or Amnesty International, want the Singapore Government to abandon completely the Internal Security Act and preventive detention. They have condemned our actions even before sending their so-called fact-finding teams. Coalitions like the Australian Committee of 100 include social action groups preaching liberation theology on the extreme radical wing of the Catholic Church and who consider Vincent Cheng and the Justice and Peace Commission kindred spirits in a world-wide struggle.

There are more direct links between the overseas groups and those arrested under the ISA. Chew Kheng Chuan has been actively lobbying groups in the United States. Edgar D'Souza, the renegade priest who is in Melbourne, has been mobilizing Australian groups. Tan Wah Piow is working in Britain and his friend, Tsui Hon Kwong, is very active in Hong Kong. And Teo Soh Lung's friend, Lai Maylene, is the one feeding the New Zealand campaign.

Sir, the Singapore Government cannot afford to allow campaigns by foreign human rights and other less honourable groups to intimidate us. What is our uppermost concern? Our concern is to fulfil our responsibilities to the people of Singapore for it is their support and their condemnation that matters. For it is Singaporeans who must live with the consequences of these actions, and it is Singaporeans who must decide in elections whether they want the PAP to continue to govern Singapore. Sir, if we allow overseas criticism to deter us from not doing something manifestly right and which is in our national interests, we will open ourselves to foreign pressure in our domestic politics, and this will pave the way to further external pressure and manipulation.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Is the Minister aware that over 30 lawyers from Pennsylvania, USA, and also over 70 US Congressmen have written to the Prime Minister and also to Mr Tommy Koh, our Ambassador in the United States, to voice their concern and ask for the release of the detainees? Is the Minister saying that these men are less than honourable in their intentions?

Prof. Jayakumar: Sir, the question ultimately is: who is in-charge of Singapore, who governs Singapore and who takes decisions with regard to security matters concerning Singapore? Whether it is a group of lawyers from Pennsylvania, from Africa or elsewhere, the question is: do we decide our future? If we act as they want, if we abolish the ISA, if we do away with preventive detention, and we are therefore helpless to deal with security problems, whether it be subversion, whether it be terrorism, racial clashes, and Singapore then goes down the drain. Can I ask the Member for Potong Pasir: does he seriously expect all these groups - human rights groups, lawyers and legislators from other countries - to come down to rescue Singapore? Does he seriously believe that?

Mr Chiam See Tong: Mr Speaker, Sir, I have got a supplementary question for the Minister following what he has just said. Is the Government now admitting that without ISA, the Government is unable to deal with security problems?

Prof. Jayakumar: Of course. This has been our consistent position.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Will it be forever?

Prof. Jayakumar: The ISA will be with us for so long as it is necessary to deal with security threats to our Republic.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Does the Minister not realize that, in fact, the British enacted Emergency laws because there was a fighting war. But we do not have one here now. What is the justification for the ISA?

Mr S. Chandra Das (Chong Boon): You want war first, then enact the law?

Prof. Jayakumar: Mr Speaker, Sir, if the Member wants a full debate on the ISA, he can move a motion. It will be supported by one of my colleagues in this House, and we can have a full substantive motion where he can explain his position on the ISA and the Government will explain its position on the ISA.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Not again, please. What is the date for this debate, Mr Speaker? Please let me know.

Mr Speaker: There is another Question (Question No. 11) waiting for you to ask, Mr Chiam.