Request for information from the Central Narcotic Bureau

22 September 1997

The Officer
Public Affairs Department
Ministry of Home Affairs


Dear Sir/Madam

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON JUDICIAL EXECUTIONS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING

	I am writing to you as a Singapore Citizen for information on judicial executions in accordance with death sentences passed under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Specifically, I would like to know:

a)	The total number of persons executed to date;

b)	The annual number of persons executed since the death penalty for 
	drug trafficking was introduced in December 1975; and

c)	The number of persons in prison awaiting execution.

	With the exception of item (c) above, the information I seek used to be published in the Straits Times. I presume, therefore, that answers to (a) and (b), at least, are not classified as Official Secrets.

	I look forward to your reply. Thank you.


Yours sincerely

CHONG FU SHIN FRANCIS


Public Affairs Department
Singapore Police Force
Pearl's Hill Terrace
Singapore 168977
Telefax: 5340585
Tel No : 5300719

24 Sep 97

Our Ref: PAD/M-23


Dear Mr Chong

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON JUDICIAL EXECUTIONS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING

	I refer to your letter dated 22 Sep 97.

2	I have referred your letter to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) as your request comes under their purview. As such, you may like to get in touch with them at 3292929.

3	Best regards.


Yours sincerely

CHIN FOOK LEONG
Deputy Director
Public Affairs Department
Singapore Police Force

Cc	Dir CNB - For your attention, please.


CNB/237 TF1

10 Oct 97

Dear Mr Chong

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON JUDICIAL EXECUTIONS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING

	Please refer to your letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs dated 22 Sep 97.

2	Since 1975 when the death penalty for drug trafficking was introduced, over 180 drug traffickers have been executed.

	Warm regards.


Yours sincerely


ERNIE SHERENE (MS)
for DIRECTOR
CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU


To: Feedback Unit via email
16 October 1997


Dear Madam/Sir

PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING INFORMATION FROM GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS

	On 22 Sep 97, I wrote to Ministry of Home Affairs to request statistics on the number of judicial executions carried out under the Misuse of Drugs Act. I reproduce the text of the letter below:

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON JUDICIAL EXECUTIONS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING

	I am writing to you as a Singapore Citizen for information on judicial executions in accordance with death sentences passed under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Specifically, I would like to know:

a)	The total number of persons executed to date;
b)	The annual number of persons executed since the death penalty for 
	drug trafficking was introduced in December 1975; and
c)	The number of persons in prison awaiting execution.

	With the exception of item (c) above, the information I seek used to be published in the Straits Times. I presume, therefore, that answers to (a) and (b), at least, are not classified as Official Secrets.
	I look forward to your reply. Thank you.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

	On 10 Oct 97, I received the following reply from the Central Narcotics Bureau:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CNB/237 TF1

Dear Mr Chong

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON JUDICIAL EXECUTIONS FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING

	Please refer to your letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs dated 22 Sep 97.
2	Since 1975 when the death penalty for drug trafficking was introduced, over 180 drug traffickers have been executed.
	Warm regards.

Yours sincerely
ERNIE SHERENE (MS)
for DIRECTOR
CENTRAL NARCOTICS BUREAU
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


	As you can see, CNB not only ignored two out of my three questions, but it did so without giving any reasons whatsoever. Moreover, as it is reasonable to assume that CNB must know the exact number executed to date, there seems to be no good reason why it cannot give me an exact figure instead of a vague 'over 180'.
	Obviously, classified information can be legitimately withheld from the public. But I cannot believe that statistics which used to be published in the Straits Times have now been transformed into official secrets. In any case, if they are official secrets, CNB need only say so and that will be the end of it. However, since CNB did not say so, I presume that the statistics are not secret. The conclusion, therefore, is that CNB has unreasonably refused to answer a legitimate request for information.
	Some years ago, Prime Minister Goh declared that his government's record is open for anyone to inspect. I trust that that promise has not been retracted. In order for the public to inspect the government's record, and for Prime Minister to make good on his promise, non-classified information should be made freely available to the public upon request within a reasonable period of time.
	Perhaps a set of rules (instruction manual no. xx?) should be drawn up so that government departments will have procedures to regularise the release of information requested by the public. That way, civil servants need not fear inadvertently breaching the Official Secrets Act.
	Finally, I would appreciate it if you would obtain from CNB the answers to the questions that I posed in my original letter to MHA.
	Thank you.


Yours sincerely

Francis Chong



To:	MCD Feedback Unit/MCD/SINGOV@SINGOV
cc:
Subject:	FW: Procedure for obtaining information from government departments

30 October 1997

Dear Madam/Sir
On 16 October, I gave feedback regarding the unreasonable response of the Central Narcotics Bureau in response to a legitimate request for information on public policy from a member of the public. For your convenience, I reproduce the original email below. [Ed: see above] May I know when I should expect a reply from the relevant Government department(s)? Thank you.
Francis Chong


31 October 1997

Dear Mr Chong

I refer to your email dated 30 October 1997.
2.	Please be advised that we have not heard from The Ministry of Home Affairs yet and shall forward you their reply once it comes in.
3.	Thank you for understanding.


Yours sincerely
AW GEK YEN, CYNTHIA
EXECUTIVE OFFICER
for CHAIRMAN, FEEDBACK SUPERVISORY PANEL


======================================

 Two Singaporeans hanged for drug trafficking 
 SINGAPORE, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Two Singaporeans were hanged 
 on Friday for drug trafficking, the first executions this year 
 by the city-state, the Prisons Department said. 
 The names of the two people executed in Changi prison were 
 not released and no details were given about their crimes. 
 Singapore has a mandatory death sentence for anyone over 18 
 years old convicted of trafficking in more than 15 gm (half an 
 ounce) of heroin, 30 gm (an ounce) of morphine or 500 gm (18 
 ounces) of marijuana. 
 The city-state executed 16 people in 1997 for various 
 offences, about 10 of them for drug trafficking. 
 Of the more than 300 people hanged in Singapore since 1975, 
 more than half were convicted drug traffickers. 
 REUTERS