ENTRY OF FOREIGN CRIMINALS (Prevention and detection)

Mr Eric Cheong Yuen Chee asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether adequate measures are being taken by the police and immigration authorities to detect and prevent foreign criminal elements from entering Singapore to commit serious crimes such as the recent armed robbery at a money changer's office in South Bridge Road.

The Minister for Home Affairs (Prof. S. Jayakumar): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Police and the Immigration Department work very closely together to prevent foreign criminals from entering Singapore. Blacklists are kept on known criminals. They are denied entry when detected at entry points. Convicted foreign criminals are also put on Prohibition of Entry Orders which permanently prevent them from re-entering Singapore. In fact, Sir, I have information that for 1987 more than 6,500 foreign criminals were refused entry in this way. Further, we have excellent cooperation with the Police of neighbouring countries resulting in exchange of intelligence and information.

However, Sir, it is difficult to prevent entry by foreign criminal elements who are not on our records. We have many tourists and social visitors. In 1987 alone there were 14.7 million social visitors who came through the checkpoints, which gives a daily average of about 40,000 visitors. Foreign criminal elements also resort to various methods such as using forged travel documents.

Our stringent checks at entry points, our strict laws and enforcement of these laws do help to deter foreign criminals. However, Sir, there can be no better deterrent than for foreign criminals to know that in Singapore we have an alert and efficient Police Force which also has the cooperation and support of the public. Indeed, in the armed robbery case which the Member is referring to, it was through information gathered and quick but thorough efforts of the investigators that led to the swift arrests of the suspects by the Police.