Persistentdefiance of the laws, not political pressure from the Myanmar government, was the reason why a number of Myanmar nationals working or studying here were asked to leave when their immigration passes expired.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng said this in a written reply to a question tabled by Nominated MP Eunice Olsen at this week's sitting of Parliament.

She asked if Myanmar's military rulers had pressured or requested the Government to clamp down on anti-junta activists and deny them residence in Singapore.

In his reply, released yesterday, Mr Wong said the Myanmar nationals disregarded Singapore laws by staging illegal activities, like outdoor protests, to pursue their political agenda.

This was despite repeated police advice to stick to lawful avenues.

Three Myanmar nationals left Singapore for countries of their choice after their immigration passes were not renewed by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

When contacted for further details, the Home Affairs Ministry identified the individuals as being members of the Overseas Burmese Patriots (OBP).

An informal grouping of activists, the OBP emerged in October last year to raise awareness about the political situation in Myanmar.

Citing illegal activities that the group staged, the ministry said:

'The OBP is by no means the only patriotic group in Singapore or the only group that has organised activities to express their concern about the situation in Myanmar. However, unlike other groups which have conducted their activities in a lawful manner, the OBP has chosen to do so in open and persistent defiance of our laws.'

One such activity was a street protest on Nov 20 last year during the Asean Summit. Some 40 people, carrying banners, walked down a pavement outside the Orchard Parade Hotel to voice their discontent with the junta.

Citing the incident, Mr Wong said the group intentionally protested near the summit's Shangri-La Hotel venue to court public and media attention.

'Their unlawful behaviour was an unnecessary distraction to our security forces and could have compromised the security arrangements for the summit delegates, some of whom were heads of Asean governments.'

Police investigated the incident and, after consulting the Attorney-General's Chambers, 'exercised leniency and administered stern warnings in lieu of prosecuting the offenders in court', he said.

Reports said the three Myanmar activists who left Singapore took part in this protest.

Mr Wong said that while a vast majority of the 50,000-strong Myanmar community had been law-abiding and expressed views in a lawful manner, a small group 'chose to break the law and yet defiantly demand the right to stay in Singapore as an entitlement'.

'They have tried to politicise the issue through the media and through uninformed foreign groups, in the process distorting the actions to remove them from Singapore as being politically motivated.

'They hope that political pressure will force the authorities to accede to their demands to continue staying in Singapore. The ICA has rightly decided that such persons are undesirable, and that they should leave.'

Foreigners are expected to respect the laws and local sensitivities in the same way that Singaporeans abroad are obliged to do so, he said.

'Some of these Myanmar individuals have enjoyed education subsidies and other benefits but have chosen to repay this with disrespect for our laws and to defy the authorities,' he added.

When told of the latest government statements, OBP spokesman Myo Myint Maung, a Singapore Management University third-year student, indicated that there would be no change in his group's position:'We will continue with our political agenda in the most appropriate way that will serve justice and democracy without endangering Singapore society.'

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The Home Affairs Ministry cited contrasting approaches that Myanmar nationals here took when reacting to political developments back home. Most of the illegal activities were organised by the Overseas Burmese Patriots (OBP).

Illegal activities

• Aug 25, 2007: Procession without permit from Orchard MRT station to City Hall MRT station by 29 Myanmarese to denounce fuel price hikes in Myanmar. 
   
• Nov 20, 2007: OBP-led street protest by 40 nationals with banners outside the Orchard Parade Hotel to demonstrate against the ruling junta in Myanmar. 
   
• Dec 9, 2007: An arts exhibition to protest against the situation in Myanmar, organised by an OBP member without obtaining the necessary licence. She did so despite police advice.
   
• April/May 2008: A highly publicised anti-referendum campaign by OBP outside the Myanmar Embassy. It drew up to 1,800 who sported red T-shirts and caps with the word 'No'. They were at the embassy off Tanglin Road to vote on a new Constitution, now in effect.

Lawful activities

Police also gave permits for an indoor assembly involving speeches and prayers at the Peninsula Excelsior Hotel on Oct 6. A police permit was also given for another indoor event at the same venue on Nov 17.

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18 September 2008 
'Today' newspaper

The decision by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to withhold the visas of some Myanmar nationals working and studying here was not due to political pressure or requests from the Myanmar Government.

Rather, the ICA considers this small group to be "undesirable" persons and "rightly decided" they should leave, Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng said in a written reply, released yesterday, to a question by Nominated Member of Parliament Eunice Olsen.

Eight Myanmar nationals, part of a group of40 people who had demonstrated against their country's military rulers last year, ran into immigration issues last month, and Mr Wong denounced them for politicising the issue through the media and through "uninformed foreign groups".

He accused them of "distorting the (ICA's) actions ... as being politically motivated". "They hope that political pressure will force the authorities to accede to their demands to continue staying in Singapore," he said.

Six of the group left Singapore last month when their immigration passes expired.

Yesterday, Myo Myint Maung, a student speaking for the group, told news agency AFP that the visas of three were still not renewed, while three others, who are Singapore permanent residents, had their visas extended for one year instead of the usual five years.

Mr Wong said their illegal protest outside Orchard Parade Hotel during the Asean Summit last November was an "unnecessary distraction to our security forces and could have compromised the security arrangements for the Summit delegates".