Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) ca

[082903@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) call on govt to telecast Myanmar documentary.



	SDP, PKMS call on govt to telecast Myanmar documentary 
			for S'poreans to watch
 	******************************************************


	THE Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the Singapore Malay 
National Organisation
                        (PKMS) yesterday sent an open letter to Prime 
Minister Goh Chok Tong on the alleged
                        Myanmar drug affair. 

                        The one-page letter called on the Government to 
telecast in full Singapore Sling: GIC, a
                        television documentary aired in Australia last 
month, for Singaporeans to watch for themselves.
                        It was signed by PKMS deputy president Mohammed 
Aziz Ibrahim and SDP assistant
                        secretary-general Kwan Yue Keng. 

                        The two opposition parties also wanted the 
Government to answer five questions raised at an
                        SDP-PKMS press conference last Thursday: 

                        Is it true that Myanmar drug lord Lo Hsin Han is 
allowed to move freely in and out of
                        Singapore? 

                        Is it true that Mr Steven Law, Mr Lo's son, is 
denied entry into the US because of suspected
                        drug-dealing? If so, has the Singapore Government 
bothered to investigate Mr Law's
                        background? 

                        Is it true that the Government of Singapore 
Investment Corporation (GIC) funds are invested in
                        the Myanmar Fund (an investment fund for projects 
in the country) linked with Asia World Co
                        Ltd? 

                        Will the Government state categorically that it 
has nothing to do with Ince & Co, which holds
                        shares in the Myanmar Fund? 

                        Will the Government state clearly that the SLORC 
(State Law and Order Restoration Council
                        in Myanmar), with which it is doing business, is 
not, directly or otherwise, helping in, or turning
                        a blind eye to, drug-trafficking? 

                        Mr Mohd Aziz and Mr Kwan, accompanied by SDP 
treasurer Francis Yong and PKMS
                        youth movement head Ishak Haroun, delivered the 
letter to police officers at the Istana gate off
                        Cavenagh Road at 12.30 pm. SDP secretary-general 
Chee Soon Juan was not present. The
                        four men had wanted to see the PM, but were told 
by policemen on duty that the latter would
                        receive the document. They appeared surprised on 
hearing that Mr Goh was away in
                        Cambodia. 

                        Mr Mohd Aziz, the spokesman, was asked by 
reporters whether the SDP and PKMS would
                        call for a Commission of Inquiry, but he was 
pulled away by his colleagues and declined
                        comment. The four then drove off in their car. 

                        The Government investigated and denied all the 
"preposterous" allegations that GIC had links
                        with Mr Lo through its Myanmar investments. The 
Government statement, issued last Saturday,
                        answered some questions posed again by the SDP 
and PKMS yesterday: 

                        GIC's investment in the Myanmar Fund was 
"completely open and above board". The fund's
                        stakes in two hotels and a company are 
straightforward investments in bona fide commercial
                        projects. 

                        The fund, launched in 1994, is managed by Kerry 
Investment Management (Jersey) Ltd,
                        owned by a Hongkong firm belonging to the Robert 
Kuok Group. GIC holds a 21.5 per cent
                        stake worth $10 million. 

                        GIC keeps its securities with custodian banks 
worldwide, such as Morgan Guaranty Trust
                        Company in New York, and Ince & Co was set up by 
this firm to hold its Myanmar shares. 

                        In another letter yesterday, sent to The Straits 
Times and Lianhe Zaobao, Dr Chee also called
                        for an uncensored telecast of the documentary. 

                        "I am confident to let Singaporeans be my judge. 
Is the PAP prepared to do the same?" he
                        wrote. 

                        He denied he was a traitor, which he said the 
People's Action Party was "doing its utmost" to
                        make him out to be. 


[Straits Times, 19 December 1996].

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