SINGAPOREANS ATTACKED IN AUSTRALIA

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs how many Singaporeans in Australia had been attacked by the locals there since September 1996 and whether any Ministry of Defence personnel in Australia were attacked.

Prof. Jayakumar: Mr Speaker, Sir, there were four incidents involving SAF servicemen in Rockhampton, Queensland in October this year. The servicemen were part of the SAF contingent conducting training in Shoalwater Bay Training Area, near Rockhampton and were off-duty at the time of the incidents. Two were incidents of verbal abuse, one involved assault, and the other assault and robbery.

Apart from the above four cases involving SAF personnel, our High Commission in Canberra is aware of only one other incident involving a Singapore student in Queensland who had reported to our Student Adviser based in Canberra that he had been assaulted. The Student Adviser had also received reports from some Singapore students reporting to her that they had encountered verbal abuses.

Our High Commission in Canberra has assessed that these were isolated incidents. The local authorities have also assured our High Commissioner that they will take measures to ensure that there will be no further incidents.

Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang): Sir, were these incidents attributed to the current anti-Asian sentiments in Australia?

Prof. Jayakumar: Since the investigations are still in progress and some of the investigations are difficult because identities of the individuals were not established, it is difficult to state conclusively whether these were acts of hoolinganism or acts deliberately motivated by racial connotations.

Mr Low Thia Khiang: Sir, since the investigations have not been concluded, what is the Minister's advice to Singaporeans who work or study in Australia or plan to travel to Australia for holiday?

Prof. Jayakumar: The advice given to Singaporeans is the advice that we normally give to any Singaporean who is travelling abroad, ie, to be aware of the local situation but, as I have said, the situation is that there are only isolated incidents. There is no evidence of a systematic campaign being directed only against Singaporeans.