RELEASE OF ISA DETAINEES FOR GENERAL ELECTION

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether, like Mr Francis Seow, Miss Teo Soh Lung and the other 8 detainees will be released in time to stand in the coming General Election, if they so wish.

Prof. S. Jayakumar: Sir, there are currently six and not eight of the re-arrested detainees under detention. They are not like Francis Seow who is not connected with any Marxist subversion.

When the Government announced the further detention of four of the re-arrested Marxist conspirators (Kenneth Tsang, Teo Soh Lung, Wong Souk Yee and Kevin De Souza), it stated clearly that they will be released even before the expiry of their Detention Orders when they have been rehabilitated and no longer pose any threat to the security of Singapore. As to when this will be, it is not possible to say so now.

As for the other two persons, Chew Kheng Chuan and Chng Suan Tze, the Government will announce its decision when their current Detention Orders expire on 18th July 1988.

Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir): Sir, the Minister has mentioned the name of Francis Seow. If Francis Seow is not a Marxist like Teo Soh Lung and the others, what exactly is he detained for?

Prof. Jayakumar: It is not that I have mentioned Mr Francis Seow. It is the Member who has mentioned Mr Francis Seow in his question.

Sir, it will be repetitious of me to go over the grounds which we have traversed in five days of debate held only recently. I think if the Member had listened to the proceedings during those five days, and if he had read the press statements which were issued, both would have more than adequately answered his supplementary question.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, it is obvious to the Minister that I am not convinced that Francis Seow is a threat to national security. So we want to know exactly why he has arrested. The fact that the Government is willing to release him when election comes around-the-corner, assuming next month, he will be released next month. It proves beyond a doubt that he is no danger to the national security at all.

Mr Deputy Speaker: Do you wish to answer?

Prof. Jayakumar: All I wish to say, Sir, is that it is clear that he has not read the statements.