CITIZENSHIP ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS (Criteria and selection process)

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CITIZENSHIP ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

(Criteria and selection process): 2.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) what are the criteria and selection process for members of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) Citizenship Advisory Committee (CAC); (b) what is the exact role of the ICA CAC in the process of granting citizenship to PRs; (c) what are the safeguards against corruption in the ICA CAC since the members have the power to make recommendations to grant citizenship to foreigners; and (d) how can citizens and affected foreigners go about blowing the whistle on rogue officials, especially if their citizenship applications are on the line.

The Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee) (for the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Citizenship Advisory Committee (CAC) is constituted under Section 18(2) of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore. The Committee consists of three persons and is appointed by the President.

Before rejecting a citizenship application, the Constitution requires the

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Minister to refer the case to the CAC. The role of the CAC is to review citizenship applications to ensure that the merits of each case have been duly considered before the Minister rejects the application. In his decision to reject the application, the Minister must consider any report made to him by the CAC.

However, while the CAC can recommend granting citizenship to foreigners, the Minister will make the final decision on the application.

To be a member of the CAC, one has to be a Singapore Citizen and a person of integrity, good character and reputation. These criteria inevitably involve judgment.

The President will appoint the members on the advice of the Minister for Home Affairs after assessing the candidates' background, qualifications and contributions, including recommendations from people and organisations who are familiar with the candidates.

Sir, the Ministry of Home Affairs places a high premium on honesty and integrity for all its officers. Should citizens and foreigners have any information on corrupt officials, they can lodge reports with the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). The Government treats such complaints and adverse feedback seriously. If the allegations are substantiated, offenders will be prosecuted in court.

Mr Steve Chia Kiah Hong (Non-Constituency Member): Sir, if the members of the CAC have this power to recommend the granting of citizenship, what kind of checks are in place to ensure that there is no potential abuse of this power or that there is corruption? What new measures are being instituted since the case involving the professor from the Nanyang Technological University?

Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee: Sir, first of all, let me reiterate that whilst the CAC

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plays a meaningful role, in fact, its role is limited in the sense that only those applications which the Registrar of Citizens is going to reject will go to the CAC. If the CAC feels that a case is deserving for approval before it goes to the Minister, it can make the recommendation to the Minister. The Committee also works as a group of three, not just one person, not even as the Chairman. So, all, ie, the three members will discuss and then everybody has to sign the recommendation.

Like I have said, the system has worked well. In fact, the Ministry of Home Affairs has many such committees, and every person who gets on to these committees is carefully selected. Many of them, in fact, have very strong credentials. So, we should not jump the gun. Yes, there is a case pending in the court. But let us not overhaul the system. The system has worked well, and we should continue to work it.