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.