MHA should give better answers to questions on Kevin Kwan’s evasion of National Service

The reply by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) did not sufficiently address the public's doubt on whether the immigration authorities have given author Kevin Kwan the slip during the times he reportedly returned to Singapore, even though he is a wanted man for evading National Service ("Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan has not entered S'pore since 2000: MHA"; Aug 29).

While it was clear he did not return to Singapore after 2000, the decade between 1990 and 2000 is still left unanswered.

MHA's explanation that "a massive manual search through voluminous records" is required to ascertain whether Mr Kwan entered the country during those 10 years was not helpful, and certainly not convincing to Singaporeans who want to know the truth.

Even though the search requires much effort, it behooves MHA to be transparent and find out more about Mr Kwan's details during that decade. If the search revealed that he did not enter the country between 1990 and 2000, then the matter will be laid to rest.

Not only that, MHA would also be cleared of any doubts that it has fallen short, and that there was no preferential treatment on Mr Kwan as someone related to former finance minister Richard Hu.

Even if the search revealed otherwise, it is a silver lining because there is a chance for MHA to hold those who made the slip accountable, and to further strengthen immigration measures to secure our borders.

The same goes to the Singapore Film Commission and the Singapore Tourism Board, which perhaps inadvertently supported the movie Crazy Rich Asians and avoided the question of Mr Kwan's evasion of National Service in their replies to the media. They should address the elephant in the room — and at least distance themselves from him by censure — so public confidence may be restored and no further aspersions cast on them.