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The following Editorial was first published on 28 September 2011. We repeat our call for the Government to convene a Commission of Inquiry into the 1987 arrests and detention of 22 social and community workers under the Internal Security Act.

Inquiry into the use of the Internal Security Act is long overdue.

The momentous announcement by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on 15th September 2011, of his intention to jettison the country’s controversial Internal Security Act (ISA), understandably prompted consternation across the Causeway. This was particularly since Mr Razak’s statement came on the eve of the anniversary of the formation of the Malaysian Federation in 1963, which Singapore was once part of and from which it had among other things inherited its own ISA.

Parliament October 15, 2012.

Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP), Mr Laurence Lien, asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs if he can provide an update on the Government's stance on what it means to keep religion and politics separate.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Teo Chee Hean): Mr Speaker, Sir, the separation of religion and politics is a long established principle in Singapore. Every citizen, regardless of his religious beliefs, has the same rights to express his views on public issues. In doing so, a citizen who belongs to a particular religion will often be guided by his religious beliefs and personal conscience. However, like other citizens, he should always be mindful of the sensitivities of living in a multi-religious society and the bounds of the law.

The following is a tribute from friends of Mr Tay Hong Seng, one of the Internal Security Act (ISA) detainees of Operation Spectrum in 1987. Mr Tay passed away on 26 November.

30 Nov 2012

Tay Hong Seng, born 9 September 1950 sadly departed on 26 November 2012. He worked for Lian He Zaobao and had written some 600 articles under his byline.

He studied Business and Economics at Sheffield University in the 1970s and spent a year in Japan as part of his course. He was one of the key members of the Federation of United Kingdom and Eire Malaysian and Singapore Student movement (FUEMSSO). In 1976 when Tan Wah Piow sought exile in the UK, he with his other colleagues organised various meetings throughout the country to publicise the repression that was then going on in Singapore. He was fondly called "Lao Tay" by all those who knew him in UK because he was slightly older than them and also because of his mannerism. A tribute described him as follows:

By Andrew Loh

The controversy over Alex Au’s blog post has degenerated into accusations of Au and Function 8 “using the Church” for “political aims.”

Give the circumstances, however, one is left wondering how such accusations can stand up to scrutiny. Indeed, it does not and all we have are well, accusations – from the Ministry for Home Affairs and the Archbishop of the Catholic Church. Unsubstantiated accusations.

The real issue, however, is the opacity of how the Government has dealt with the matter – starting from when the Minister for Home Affairs, Teo Chee Hean, met with Archbishop Nicholas Chia, earlier this year. The circumstances around this are murky, opaque, and leave many unanswered questions.

Let’s rewind to the known facts.

By Andrew Loh

In June this year, a rally to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the so-called “Marxist Conspiracy” arrests was held at Speakers’ Corner. Prior to the event, the Archbishop of the Catholic Church in Singapore, Nicholas Chia, had sent a letter – purportedly expressing the church’s support – to Function 8, the organisers of the event. Function 8 is a group made up of former detainees, which include those from the “Marxist Conspiracy” episode of 1987, of the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Shortly after having issued the letter, however, archbishop Chia sent a third letter to Function 8 asking for his first letter to be returned to him. [In the second letter, Chia had allegedly given his permission to Function 8 to make his letter known at the rally.]

Chia said, in a press statement to the media on 19 September, “I had earlier decided to withdraw my letter to this group as, on reflection, its contents did not accurately reflect my views on the subject, and if used in a manner that I did not intend, may inadvertently harm the social harmony in Singapore. The group had acknowledged my decision and returned the letter to me.”

Statement from Function 8:

We are deeply saddened by the comments of Archbishop Nicholas Chia reported in The Straits Times of 20th September 2012. He made three unsubstantiated remarks:

1. That Mr Au’s account (in Yawningbread) could only have come from Function 8, with whom he had communicated in private.

2. That he decided to withdraw his letter of support “because if the letter were to be used in a manner that I (Archbishop) did not intend, it may inadvertently harm the social harmony in Singapore.”

3. That Mr Au’s article appearing now, months later, “confirms the correctness of my (Archbishop’s) earlier decision to withdraw the letter so as not to inadvertently embroil the Catholic Church and the office of the Archbishop in a political event which was being staged by the group.”

MHA’s Statement on Archbishop Nicholas Chia’s Comments

The Government values its long-standing relationship with the Catholic Church and the Catholic community in Singapore, and deeply appreciates Archbishop Nicholas Chia’s many contributions to religious harmony in Singapore.

As part of building trust and understanding and to maintain religious harmony in Singapore, government ministers meet regularly with various religious leaders in Singapore. Such closed-door meetings allow a frank exchange of views especially on sensitive subjects. This is a well-established process that is appreciated by both ministers and religious leaders.

We note Archbishop Chia’s statement yesterday that he had withdrawn his earlier letter as its contents did not accurately reflect his views on the subject. He also expressed concern that if the letter was used in a manner that he did not intend, it may inadvertently harm the social harmony in Singapore. His decision to withdraw his letter ahead of a political event in June 2012, shows his appreciation of the complexity of our multi-racial, multi-religious society, and the need to keep religion and politics separate.

The actions by this group to publicise the matter through Mr Au is disrespectful of the Archbishop, and contrary to his views and intentions as conveyed to the group after he had decided to retract his letter. This deliberate breach of the Archbishop’s trust confirms the objective of this group to publicly involve the Catholic Church and the Archbishop in their political agenda.

THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

20 SEPTEMBER 2012

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Read also: Church withdraws expressing support for ex-detainees - again.

By Biddy Low

Close to a week before its private event at the Substation, local civil initiative Function 8 was notified by the independent arts centre that their booking has been cancelled, following "advisement" from a public agency. This decision came at a short notice, months after the reservation was made and paid for. It left the organisation with no choice but to postpone what would have been a reading of the play, Square Moon by Wong Souk Yee and the launch of two books - "Escape from the Lion's Paw" and "Smokescreens and Mirrors". The former was written by political exiles who escaped arrest by the ISD. The latter, penned by the supposed "ringleader" of an alleged 1987 "Marxist Conspiracy", Tan Wah Piow, who escaped arrest and currently lives in the United Kingdom. Both the books were published by F8.

The staging of the play Square Moon has also been removed for consideration from the programme in an arts festival to be held next year. Function 8 had originally intended to stage the play in its own capacity and even procured a venue for this, but let go of those plans when it was commissioned for the festival by The Necessary Stage.

A civil group partly founded by ex ISA detainees from the 1987 arrests, Function 8 was responsible for the open exhibition titled "That We May Dream Again" at Speaker's Corner in June this year. The event sought to create public awareness for the so called "Marxist Conspiracy" in which Singaporeans ranging from social workers to student activists were detained for months and even years without trial. The event enjoyed a fair turnout, in spite of it being postponed when the Speakers Corner was temporarily gazetted because of the Hougang by-election.

By Lisa Li

Wong Souk Yee, founding member of deregistered theatre company Third Stage, reflects on her detention under the ISA

If you search for "Wong Souk Yee" in the National Library catalogue, you won't find a thing. But type in the titles of her plays, and you'll find this:

 'No Foul Play' (No named author or published date). Lee Kong Chian Reference Library [RCLOS]. Photocopy; Handwritten notes at bottom of some pages. For reference only.

 'Cry for a Cactus' (No named author or published date). Lee Kong Chian Reference Library [RCLOS]. Photocopy; Handwritten notes on some pages; Includes a single poem on an unnumbered page. For reference only.

 'Esperanza' (No record found).

I was intrigued. So I went to the counter on Level 11 and found I had to submit a written request, along with my full name and identity card number. A staff member went to retrieve the manuscripts from the closed access section. "Come back in 15 minutes," they said.

On Sunday, 20 May, 7 young Singaporeans staged the play, "Chiam's Finest Hour", to recount Mr Chiam See Tong's defence of the 22 Singaporeans who were arrested under Singapore's Internal Security Act in May 1987.

See our earlier report on the event here.

We spoke to Mr Chiam after the event, where he was the Guest of Honour.