'No big impact on S'pore tourists'

'No big impact on S'pore tourists'

SINGAPORE (AFP): Australia has expressed regret for attacks
against Singaporeans and vowed to take steps against racial
harassment directed at Asians, Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar told
parliament yesterday.

Jayakumar, replying to queries on the current racial debate in
Australia, said there was no indication of any "significant
numbers" of Singaporean tourists, students and businessmen
avoiding Australia because of the incidents.

Four Singaporean servicemen undergoing training near
Rockhampton, Queensland suffered harassment in October. Two
incidents involved verbal abuse, one involved assault and another
involved assault and robbery, Jayakumar said.

A Singapore student in Queensland also reported an assault,
while other Singapore students in Australia have complained of
verbal abuse, he said.

The incidents occurred amid a furor over race and immigration
levels sparked by independent Australian MP Pauline Hanson, who
has split the nation with her warning that Australia risked being
"swamped by Asians".