MR PHEY YEW KOK

Mr J B Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Home Affairs (i) whether the search for Mr Phey Yew Kok has been abandoned and (ii) what success the police have had to secure the return of the man reported to be hiding in Macau after the suicide of the late Mr Teh Cheang Wan.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, any effort in tracking down Phey Yew Kok is now very much dependent on available intelligence on his exact whereabouts. Without this, no specific effort can be mounted. Meanwhile, he is still on the wanted list of all Interpol member countries. Also, the warrant of arrest against him is still in force.

As for the question on securing the return of "the man hiding in Macau after the suicide of the late Mr Teh Cheang Wan", can Mr Jeyaretnam give me the name of the person he is referring to so that I can answer the question?

Mr Jeyaretnam: If the Minister had read the Hansard in 1987, he would have seen that the then Prime Minister did not reveal the identity, but was simply saying the man had run off to Macau and was hiding and they were trying to get him. So I am afraid I cannot give the identity. The CPIB must know.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: I would like to assure Mr Jeyaretnam that I have read the Hansard. I wanted to make sure because the tenor of his question suggests that this person was implicated in Mr Teh's death.

Mr Jeyaretnam: That is what the then Prime Minister said.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: In that case, I know who he is referring to. That would be Ho Yau Koon from whom Mr Teh Cheang Wan allegedly received gratification for assisting Ho to buy a piece of land. Ho Yau Koon passed away in Hong Kong in 1987.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Considering that this man Phey Yew Kok has been out of the country for more than 20 years, and we hear the Minister saying that the Police has still not been able to find where he is, are we to understand that the Police are now abandoning the search because I cannot see any purpose? The second question is: are the Police aware or do they know if the wife of Mr Phey Yew Kok regularly takes trips out of Singapore or not?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, as to the first question, I have stated just now that he is still on the wanted list of Interpol. The case is therefore still alive. As to the second question, because the case is alive, it would not be prudent to divulge information on the operation procedures of the CPIB.

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I know the answer to a simple question and, that is, do the Police know that the wife goes regularly out of Singapore or not?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, I think I have answered that question.