Singapore bars Malaysian lawyer from defense in headscarf row

Asian Economic News, Sept 16, 2002

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 13 Kyodo

A renowned Malaysian lawyer who had been engaged by four Singaporean Muslim families in their suit against the government over its headscarves ban policy, has been barred from working in Singapore.

Singapore Manpower Ministry said in a statement Friday, lawyer Karpal Singh's application for an employment pass was rejected ''because there are grounds to conclude that his motive is to intervene in Singapore's internal affairs. This is evident from the numerous public statements he has made.''

Singh was engaged by the parents of Khairah Faroukh, Siti Farziwah Mohamed Kassim and Nurul Nasihah Mohamed Nasser who is suing the city state after the girls were suspended from school in February for not complying with the no-headscarf policy.

The parents of the fourth girl, Sheila Zulkifli, who was barred from class in 1997, also approached Singh this year.

The ministry said Singh has applied for an employment pass to work in a Singapore law firm as a ''lawyer and consultant on constitutional matters.''

''Mr. Karpal Singh has publicly stated repeatedly that he supports the protests by some groups and individuals on the 'tudung' (headscarf) ban in Singapore schools. He has also made public statements to justify why Malaysia should be involved in Singapore's internal affairs,'' the ministry said.

Singh who is also the deputy chairman of Malaysia's opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) had said he was willing to work for free to defend the girls' rights.

He has also questioned the rationale of the policy when Sikh pupils are allowed to wear turbans in schools.

The headscarf row had put the pre-dominantly Chinese Singaporean government in a tight spot. It came at a time when Muslims all over the world were put on the defensive following the Sept. 11 terror attack.

Singapore is also grappling with rising Islamic militancy in the region. It has detained more than a dozen people for allegedly plotting to blow up key U.S. interests in the island republic.