Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs has refuted claims that 16 ex-ISA detainees were detained due to political beliefs.

In a statement today, the ministry said these 16 ex-detainees were not detained for their political beliefs but because they had involved themselves in subversive activities which posed a threat to national security.

The 16 ex-ISA detainees had issued a joint statement on Sept 19 to complain about the length of their detention under the Internal Security Act (ISA) and also the ISA Advisory Board process.  

According to the ministry, nine of them were actively involved in Communist United Front (CUF) activities in support of the Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), which was committed to the violent overthrow of the constitutionally-elected governments in Singapore and Malaysia.

It said the others included religious extremists and those involved in espionage.  

- Bernama