MINISTERS SOLICITING MONIES FOR PAP

Dr Lee Siew-Choh asked the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence if he will explain the Prime Minister's statement at the People's Action Party fund-raising dinner that it does not amount to a corrupt practice for Ministers of government to solicit monies for the Party from selected individuals.

The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence (Mr Goh Chok Tong): Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, political fund-raising in itself does not amount to a corrupt practice so long as it is above board, be seen to be above board, and the donors do not expect or receive reciprocal benefits. That was the crux of the Prime Minister's message at the PAP's fund-raising dinner on 21st July. That was also the reason for publicising the PAP's first-ever fund-raising dinner. Indeed, the Prime Minister went on to spell out three cardinal rules to keep money politics out of Singapore:

(1) Observe strict legal limits on election expenses;

(2) Donations should never be made to individual Ministers or MPs but to the Party; and

(3) Political contributions must never become a means of buying influence or swaying Government policies.

The PAP abide by these rules. I hope other political parties do likewise.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: How were the guests selected?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, that question should actually be addressed to the PAP.

But since he has asked, I will answer. We have a fund-raising committee comprising Backbenchers. Ministers are not involved. As you know, the Party has supporters amongst all strata of the population and we leave it to the fund-raising committee to select our supporters who feel a desire to contribute to the Party.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: Were the guests selected only on a party basis or was there a public announcement that it was a public donation dinner?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, as I said just now, the Party has vast numbers of supporters, and we leave it to the fund-raising committee to select those who feel that they should contribute to the Party. I hope that the Workers Party, to whom the Member belongs, is not asking for ideas on how to raise funds for his own Party.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: Were guests told or was it suggested to the guests that they had to pay certain sums as in America?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I think the fund raising objective is quite obvious. The fund-raising committee, if I may elaborate, comprises Backbenchers and also non-MP members. The Chairman of the fund-raising committee is Mr Chandra Das. Mr Chua Sian Chin is also a member and I think there are one or two others whose names I cannot remember. They approach Party members, friends and supporters who believe that they should contribute to support the system through the Party. And the system which we are talking about here is the system of good government, honest government, and having this integrity in our society which is what the PAP stands for.

As to the amount, we leave it entirely to the donors who came for the Party function.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: Were these guests in some way connected with the business of government?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: The answer is no. They are not connected at all with the business of government. This is purely for the Party, and I suspect that the Member is also thinking of how to raise funds for the Party. If he is nice to the Chairman of the PAP fund-raising committee, Mr Chandra Das, I am sure he can give him a few tips.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: How is the present system of the PAP raising money different from the Recruit affair in Japan?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, it is entirely different. In the Recruit case, I think favours were done to the company which donated funds. In our case, no favours are done or will be done for those who contribute to the Party.

Mr Chiam See Tong: This is a clarification from the First Deputy Prime Minister. According to what I see in this Question, it says here "Ministers of government" are allowed to solicit funds. I think what it means is Ministers as ordinary persons and not as Ministers. Is that the correct position? Certainly you cannot solicit funds as Ministers. You cannot come to Mr A and say, "Look here. I am the Minister for Defence. I am coming to solicit funds for the Party." I think that is wrong. I think Ministers of Government should not solicit funds but as Mr Goh Chok Tong or as Mr Goh Chok Tong of PAP, he can solicit funds. Is that the correct position?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank Mr Chiam for that clarification. Ministers of Government, as the way he spells it out, do not go out in their official capacity to raise funds. In other words, I as the Deputy Prime Minister, will not approach any Party supporter to contribute to the Party. If I do approach, it will be in my capacity as Mr Goh Chok Tong, Assistant Secretary-General of the PAP. But in order that there is no hint of any improper practices even I, as Mr Goh Chok Tong or as Assistant Secretary-General of the PAP, do not approach anyone for funds for the Party. We leave it entirely to Party MPs who are not Ministers.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Would the First Deputy Prime Minister then see that this statement is, in fact, corrected? Would he be willing to see that, in fact, this state- ment made publicly should be corrected? Would he be willing to do that?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I do not quite follow the question of the Member for Potong Pasir. Which statement is he referring to?

Mr Chiam See Tong: Whatever statement that was made in public by the Prime Minister. So Ministers of Government should not solicit funds.

Mr Goh Chok Tong: Ministers of Government do not solicit funds.

Mr Chiam See Tong: That is right.

Mr Goh Chok Tong: And the Prime Minister has not made that statement. The question asked was, as I suspect, to give a yes or no answer which would, in fact, put the one who answers the question in a bad light. It is a double-edged question. I have therefore spelt out the exact position of what we should or should not do and what the Prime Minister has made very clear in his speech to the Party members and supporters in that fund-raising dinner.

Dr Lee Siew-Choh: How does one differentiate a Minister from an MP who is very closely connected with the Minister?

Mr Goh Chok Tong: I think one who does not hold any official position, and I can say that most PAP MPs are very close to the Ministers. But when they solicit funds or they organize a party to raise funds for their Party, they do not in any way use their official position. They approach supporters purely as Party members.