FOREIGN ARTISTES AND SINGERS (Performance in constituency social functions)

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FOREIGN ARTISTES AND SINGERS:

(Performance in constituency social functions): 5.

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether his Ministry will allow popular foreign artistes and singers especially from Taiwan and China to perform in constituency social functions in support of a prospective election candidate and, if not, whether such artistes and singers will be blacklisted or debarred from performing in Singapore in the future if they do perform for such a purpose.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs (Encik Mohamad Maidin B P M) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, foreign artistes and singers are allowed to perform at constituency functions. There is nothing wrong for them, in the course of the function, to express appreciation to their host. Hence, the question of debarment or blacklisting does not arise.

Mr Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir): Sir, will the Ministry give an assurance that if a foreign entertainer does take part in local politics when he attends a constituency function, will he be debarred from doing so again?

Encik Mohamad Maidin B P M: Sir, the question concerns a constituency function, not about participating in politics. Foreigners are not allowed to participate in local political activities. Under the law, foreigners, especially during elections, are strictly prohibited from taking part in any election political

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activities. It is covered under our Parliamentary Elections Act as well as the Presidential Elections Act. So, if they do break the law, they will be dealt with.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, I am speaking from experience. In my constituency, my rival invites Taiwanese singers or singers from China. When he comes up to sing - of course, he is a popular singer and he is very influential - and he says a lot of good things about my rival candidate and asks them even to vote for him, is this not taking part in local politics? And if they are found to be doing so, will they be warned and debarred from coming again to do the same thing?

Encik Mohamad Maidin B P M: Sir, actually, the context and, in this case, I think Mr Chiam is well aware, the timing must apply. If the artiste merely performs his regular hits and routine at the constituency function which happens to fall outside an election period, I think there is nothing wrong in that. An artiste giving praises to his host is a common thing happening all over Singapore, whether he is a prospective candidate or not. So, it is not an issue whether the artiste is performing for, in this case, your rival, and whether that election candidate or prospective candidate is an individual or is representing a political party.

The question of blacklisting and debarment is also quite serious. It will have to be considered carefully whether the actions done by the artiste really break the law.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong (Non-Constituency Member): Sir, I would like to clarify with the Senior Parliamentary Secretary: is it during the election period per se that foreigners are not allowed to talk about local politics?

Encik Mohamad Maidin B P M: Yes, no foreigners are to participate in our local politics during an election.

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Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong: Yes? Is it only during an election period? Does that mean that during a non-election period, they can actually talk about Singapore politics? Is that what he means?

Encik Mohamad Maidin B P M: They have been talking about it all the time. Foreigners have been here and have spoken, given permit to speak in Singapore.

Mr Low Thia Khiang (Hougang): Sir, clarification. Is the SPS saying that there is nothing wrong for an artiste to urge an audience to vote for somebody on stage not during an election period? Is the SPS saying that?

Encik Mohamad Maidin B P M: Is this an actual case or is this a hypothetical case? Every case needs to be studied. In this case, if the comments or remarks were made during a performance outside an election, I do not think he has done anything wrong.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, I think it is the duty of the Ministry of Home Affairs to do the investigation. It is up to the Ministry to go and find out, unless of course you want me to get ---

Mr Speaker: Mr Chiam, this is a question-and-answer session and not for you to make a speech.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: Mr Speaker, Sir, maybe I will answer the question.

I do not know the circumstances of this case. I do not know whether Mr Chiam himself has made a police report about this performer. But the key point he was raising earlier on was whether a foreign artiste can come here and say something about his host. If he is there just to say something about his host, to say that he is a good host and he is doing a good job, it is the same thing that Mr

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Chiam can also do, invite a performer and say, "This is a good host and please support him." I think let us not confuse ourselves because, in this instance, we do not know that a person is really the candidate for election. The words "prospective candidate" can refer to anyone in the street. So, let us not jump the gun a bit. If we confuse the two together, then we are going to have a lot of people being prospective candidates.

But as to foreigners' interference in local politics, the Government's stand is very clear. Foreigners have no business in Singapore politics. They cannot interfere in our domestic politics. That is clear, unless Singaporeans want others to come and tell them what to do and how to run the country.

Mr Speaker: Last question, Mr Chiam.

Mr Chiam See Tong: Sir, I am glad to hear categorically from the Minister that foreigners cannot take part in local politics. So, if there is a report, with evidence, tape-recorded, etc, will he debar that foreigner who is an entertainer from performing again in Singapore? That is the question.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: I think we should not use a particular case and raise questions in Parliament and assume that this is the forum for investigation. [ Mr Chiam See Tong rose. ] Please sit down, Mr Chiam. I am answering your question.

Mr Chiam See Tong: The answer is either yes or no.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: We should use this occasion here to elicit policies, and the policy is: no foreigner should take part in local politics. If Mr Chiam has a specific complaint, file a complaint, so that the proper authority could investigate it. Parliament is not the investigation agency, and neither am I the investigator.