Singapore's Tang seeks refuge in KL

Singapore's Tang seeks refuge in KL

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): A Singapore opposition figure reported to
have sought temporary refuge in Malaysia amid fears for his
safety is free to stay in the country, Malaysian Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday.

"We cannot detain him. We don't have a policy to detain him as
long as he has valid travel documents," Mahathir said, referring
to Workers' Party candidate Tang Liang Hong, who is believed to
be in Malaysia's southern Johor state after losing in last week's
Singapore elections.

Pointing out that Malaysia was not protecting Tang, Mahathir
added:"He has the right to come here. We cannot detain him unless
he is guilty of some criminal act."

The two neighbors have extradition arrangements for fugitives
from either country. Tang has not been charged with any crime,
but has traded lawsuit threats with Singapore Prime Minister Goh
Chok Tong over remarks each made during the heated campaign.

Tang was accused by the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) of
being a "Chinese chauvinist" espousing dangerous racial views
which could disrupt ethnic harmony in the island state of three
million, more than 77 percent of whom are ethnic Chinese, 14
percent Malay and seven percent Indian.

Asked whether Tang had sought political asylum, Mahathir
replied that he had not heard of any such development.

Mahathir was speaking to reporters during a visit to an $800-
million resort project on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

Singapore's PAP won 81 of the 83 seats in last Thursday's
general elections. The two opposition seats were captured by the
Workers' Party and the fledgling Singapore People's Party.

Tang, 61, was the Workers' Party candidate for Cheng San, the
most hotly contested area, where the PAP scored its narrowest
victory, winning only 54 percent of the vote there.

Tang's law firm on Monday refused to confirm or deny a
Singapore Straits Times report that he went to Malaysia over the
weekend following anonymous threats against him and his family.

His wife has refused to take telephone calls to their
Singapore home.