Dual citizenship will affect security

While move can't be ruled out, MM Lee says, decision to allow it rests with the leaders


SYDNEY - ALLOWING dual citizenship would have serious consequences for Singapore's security, as young men would be able to opt out of National Service, Mr Lee Kuan Yew said here.

While a change to allow Singaporeans to have dual citizenship could not be ruled out, he said it was a decision for the present or even a future generation of leaders to make.

He was elaborating on his response to a question on the issue that was raised on Tuesday night at a Citibank dialogue here.

Mr Lee said yesterday that he knew the present generation of leaders in Singapore was 'having to reflect carefully on the consequences to our security, especially the SAF'.

Asked why he would not rule out a change, he said: 'I cannot predict what the future will force us to do. I was against casinos.'

The movement of people from the country of their birth to work, study or to start a new life elsewhere, has been a recurring theme in his responses at several dialogues he took part in while in Australia.

Mr Lee had earlier observed, for instance, that according to the latest census, there were now some 50,000 Singapore-born people living in Australia.

Yesterday, Mr Lee also met nine student leaders from the Singapore associations of the University of New South Wales, Sydney University and Macquarie University.

He wanted, among other things, to better understand why they chose to further their education in Australia and how long they planned to remain here.

Today, he travels to Perth where he will meet Singaporeans who migrated and settled there.