DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL

Mr Simon S C Tay asked the Minister for Home Affairs what is the number of persons presently detained without trial under (i) the Internal Security Act; (ii) the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act; (iii) the Misuse of Drugs Act; and (iv) any other laws of preventive detention.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: Internal Security Act

A total of 6 persons are presently subjects of Order of Detention (DO) under the Internal Security Act (ISA). Four of them have been released from custody under Suspension Direction of the DOs. These persons were arrested and detained in 1997 and 1998 for involvement in espionage activities.

In the 1997 case, the 2 persons involved were a female Singaporean and a male Singapore Permanent Resident. The man was a deep-cover operative of a foreign intelligence service. He used the woman as his collaborator.

In the 1998 case, the 4 persons detained were all male Singapore citizens. Three of them were agents who worked for another intelligence service. One of them recruited the fourth detainee as his conscious collaborator to collect intelligence on and to subvert a certain local community organisation.

Four of these detainees (the 2 in the 1997 case and 2 from the 1998 case) have since been released under Suspension Directions after serving periods of detention ranging from 4 to 11 months. This followed ISD's recommendations that their preventive detentions were no longer necessary for reasons of continuing investigation or of their posing an active threat to national security. The remaining two individuals have been held under Orders of Detention since March and July 1998 respectively. Investigations on them are still continuing.

Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act

As at 31st December 1998, 450 were detained under the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act.

Misuse of Drugs Act

The Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) does not provide for preventive detention. However, sections 37(1) and 37(2) of the MDA allow Director, Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) to commit a person, whom he reasonably suspects to be a drug addict, to undergo treatment or rehabilitation, or both, at an approved institution for a period not exceeding 3 years. As at 31st December 1998, 4,923 persons were committed to treatment and rehabilitation in the various drug rehabilitation centres.

Intoxicating Substances Act

The Intoxicating Substances Act also does not provide for preventive detention. However, sections 13 and 17 of the Act allow Director, CNB, to commit a person, whom he reasonably suspects to be an inhalant abuser, to undergo treatment or rehabilitation, or both, at an approved institution for a period not exceeding 6 months. As at 31st December 1998, 15 persons were committed for treatment and rehabilitation at inhalant centres.