PROHIBITION ORDER AGAINST MR CHAN KIAN HIN (Reasons behind revocation)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr J. B. Jeyaretnam asked the Minister for Home Affairs if he will state the reasons behind the revocation within one month of the Prohibition Order against Mr Chan Kian Hin who was arrested along with Mr Abdul Razak bin Ahmad.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, Chan Kian Hin and Abdul Razak bin Ahmad were both served with Expulsion Orders on 18th November 1966 for their involvement in Communist front activities. The Government decided to revoke the order of expulsion against Chan on 10th December 1966 in view of Chan's clear repentance for his past actions, and the appeals from Chan's father.

Mr J. B. Jeyaretnam (Non-Constituency Member): As I understood from the Minister when I last raised the question, their crime was agitation for greater academic freedom and I was told that they were also creating fights. If that is the reason, why was it found possible to revoke the Order against Mr Chan just because he made an appeal and showed his repentance when the others have not had the Orders revoked?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, in our exchange in the last debate, I made it very clear that it was not just a case of students agitating just for academic freedom. They played leading roles in the organisation of demonstrations, processions and even a violent clash. This is part of the same story because, as I have mentioned just now, the communists were using the students. There was a plan to exploit the student unrest by uniting the various protest movements, intensifying illegal street processions and demonstrations and provoking a situation that would undermine law and order. These led to the formation of the students' national action front - which the Government saw, at that time, to be a dangerous development because it was dominated by left wing and pro-communist elements from the Nanyang University and the Chinese Middle Schools. Hence, the Government had to nip the situation in the bud, act decisively and four foreign students were expelled. Again, as I have said, every case must be decided on its own merits and facts. Here, Chan Kian Hin had made an individual appeal, where he had stated very clearly his repentance for his past actions and his father, who was a Singaporean, also appealed.

If Mr Jeyaretnam is still championing the cause of Chan Kian Hin, who is now dead, and in his question, he also talked about Abdul Razak, I think we should know what interest he has got in the matter. As I said the last time, why is he championing the cause of a foreigner who has shown himself to be anti-Singapore?

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I, again, remind the Minister that I am not here to answer questions. I have said this before. It is simply a matter of justice as between person and person.

Mr Speaker: Order. Mr Jeyaretnam, what is your question? Please proceed to your question.

Mr Jeyaretnam: He has asked me what is my interest. It is a matter of justice. I am answering him.

Mr Speaker: Do you have any question?

Mr Jeyaretnam: Yes, Sir.

Mr Speaker: Ask your question, please.

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I know from the Minister, he keeps saying about riots and fights, whether there were any riots at all during that period? Was anyone prosecuted for rioting?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, on Mr Jeyaretnam's earlier point, parliamentary time is precious. As Mr Jeyaretnam is an NCMP, he is accountable to this House and indeed to Singaporeans for the questions that he asks. He has asked very pointed questions about foreigners who had been expelled. It is right for me to ask that question. The record is very clear, Sir. If you go back to the record, you will see that those were heady days when there were student protests, demonstrations, processions involving students from the four tertiary institutions at that time. There was indeed a violent clash with the police at the City Hall.

Mr Shriniwas Rai (Nominated Member): Mr Speaker, Sir, with your leave, may I ask the Minister of State whether any other student leader has been arrested for the last 10 years?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Not that I can recall.

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I ask the Minister again whether anyone else has had the Order revoked? There were about five or six persons who had Prohibition Orders made against them and was Chan Kian Hin also not a Malaysian at that time? He was not a Singaporean.

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, before I answer the question, perhaps Mr Jeyaretnam should also answer this point. What is his interest in the matter? Is he beholden to anybody? He has asked about the other foreigners who were also expelled. Yes, there were four of them, all foreigners, including Chan Kian Hin. But unlike Chan Kian Hin, the other three did not have families who were Singaporeans.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister keeps asking me and you say that I should not answer. May I say, again, it is a question of justice and fairness as between persons who are concerned. Why is this man singled out?

Mr Speaker: Order. Mr Jeyaretnam, you keep repeating the same points and you are asking the same questions. Do you have any other fresh questions? If not, I propose to end this Question for Oral Answer unless you have new questions.

Mr Jeyaretnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, with respect, he has asked me a question and I am trying to answer, and you tell me that I should not answer it. Then you should tell him, Mr Speaker, with respect, not to ask me any questions.

Mr Speaker: I am asking you whether you have any fresh questions.

Mr Jeyaretnam: May I ask him to answer my question whether there were any riots and whether anyone was prosecuted?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: As I said, Sir, it is all in the record, the processions, demonstrations and ---

Mr Jeyaretnam: Could you tell us?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Yes. If Mr Jeyaretnam were to look up the press reports during that time, those indeed were heady days. And as I have said, yes, there were processions, demonstrations and there was a violent clash. There were other people who were also expelled. But the fact that Mr Jeyaretnam keeps taking up this case, particularly Abdul Razak, that is why I have asked that question. Why not the other people who had been expelled?

Mr Jeyaretnam: I am asking for them as well.