Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05SINGAPORE3489
2005-12-13 06:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Singapore
Cable title:  

NO MIRANDA IN SINGAPORE: RIGHT TO COUNSEL

Tags:  PGOV PHUM KJUS KCRM SN 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 003489 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KJUS KCRM SN
SUBJECT: NO MIRANDA IN SINGAPORE: RIGHT TO COUNSEL


Classified By: E/P Counselor Laurent Charbonnet for Reasons 1.4(b)/(d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SINGAPORE 003489

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/13/2015
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KJUS KCRM SN
SUBJECT: NO MIRANDA IN SINGAPORE: RIGHT TO COUNSEL


Classified By: E/P Counselor Laurent Charbonnet for Reasons 1.4(b)/(d)


1. (U) Summary: While Singapore is proud of its tough,
law-and-order reputation, legal circles are actively
discussing liberalizing a criminal defendant's right to
counsel and the government-linked media is covering the
debate. Under current practice, the police may detain a
person for two weeks or longer before granting access to
counsel. While it is highly unlikely that the GOS soon will
make a major change to its fundamental approach, members of
the Law Society hope that the GOS will modify police
procedure in "non-sensitive" cases. End Summary.

The Current Situation
--------------


2. (U) Singapore's legal system provides for basic judicial
protections, but frequently under significant limitations.
The Singapore Constitution guarantees the right to counsel,
but only "as soon as may be" practicable. The courts have
interpreted this to mean up to two weeks or longer after
initial detention. Police have little incentive to change
their policies because unfettered access to the accused makes
it easier for them to secure corroborating evidence, build
cases, and secure confessions. Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng told Parliament on
October 18 that accused persons are denied immediate access
to their lawyers to avoid "compromising" police
investigations.

Public Opinion
--------------


3. (U) A Straits Times (ST) op-ed unapologetically claimed
that Singapore's criminal justice system should continue to
value efficiency over fairness to the accused, even if it
results in innocent people being punished. The ST also,
however, published an informal poll indicating that 91
percent of Singaporeans believe an accused person should be
granted immediate access to legal counsel. One prominent
criminal defense attorney commented to us that most
Singaporeans believe that they already have the immediate
right to counsel--the lawyer claimed that many of his clients
are shocked to find this is not the case.

The Push for Change
--------------


4. (C) The two leading legal organizations in Singapore agree

on the desirability of reform, but are approaching the issue
differently. The Association of Criminal Lawyers in
Singapore (self-registered under the Societies Act) has tried
to raise public awareness of the issue, and a few
high-profile cases have garnered significant media coverage.
The Law Society (established by statute) has been working
quietly behind the scenes with policy makers. Law Society
President Philip Jeyaretnam (son of veteran opposition
politician J.B. Jeyaretnam) told us the Law Society had met
earlier this year with both Deputy Prime Minister Wong
(concurrently Minister of Home Affairs, which oversees the
police) and Deputy Prime Minister Jayakumar (concurrently
Minister for Law). The Law Society discussed expediting
access to counsel and asked permission to submit a paper on
this issue to the Ministry of Law. (Note: Due to a political
dispute in the 1980's, the Law Society is limited by statute
to commenting on legal issues only when the GOS asks it to do
so, and then only when the issue directly affects the legal
profession. End Note.) Jayakumar agreed to accept the
paper, which the Law Society submitted in September, but the
GOS has not yet responded.

The Likelihood of Change
--------------


5. (C) The Law Society believes that the GOS is actively
considering improvements to the rights of the accused. The
Society does not believe that Deputy Prime Minister Wong's
statements in Parliament were either the final position of
the GOS or a prejudgment on the Law Society's paper.
However, Jeyaretnam acknowledged that the GOS was highly
unlikely, in the short term, to liberalize right to counsel
through fundamental constitutional or legislative change.
Jeyaretnam commented that Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew would
have to approve such a change, and his strongly held view
that not even one guilty man should go free was well-known.
Jeyaretnam also acknowledged that Deputy Prime Minister Wong
is widely known as a tough, law-and-order proponent, who
emphasizes efficiency.


6. (C) Members of the Law Society have proposed that one
possible mechanism for reform might be an unlegislated change
in police procedure, which Deputy Prime Minister Wong might
be persuaded to adopt if public pressure to do so grows. The
GOS could compromise by carving out certain "non-sensitive"
cases and allowing faster access to counsel in these cases.
The Law Society has advocated this approach as a fall-back
position, which would allow the GOS to maintain its current
practices in "sensitive" cases such as narcotics or
terrorism. Most people in the legal profession support the
Law Society's position, claimed Jeyaretnam, and public
sentiment is in favor of reforming aspects of the criminal
justice system.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) Jeyaretnam's father was an opposition MP who was
bankrupted for defamation and expelled from Parliament.
Jeyaretnam has opted to operate within Singapore's "out of
bounds" markers and promote change from inside the elite.
The Law Society also includes a number of prominent ruling
party MP's, so its positions tend to be well within the
mainstream. While change and liberalization in Singapore are
always deliberate and incremental, Jeyaretnam is right that
the public is increasingly aware of the rights enjoyed in
other countries and will slowly increase pressure to change.
End Comment.
HERBOLD