KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore's Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam again reiterated that Singapore diplomats in Kuala Lumpur had not participated in the April 28 Bersih 3.0 political demonstrations in Malaysia. He told Parliament that the controversy over Singaporeans part of the diplomatic envoy to Malaysia and their presence at the protests in April would not “affect the relations between Singapore and Malaysia.” Shanmugam told Parliament that he had spoken to his Malaysian counterpart Anifah Aman to stress that the diplomats were not supporting the protests for electoral reform. The FM added that the diplomats had only been at the rally as impartial observers. He also said it was regrettable that some Malaysian media outlets and blogs had focused only on Singapore and “intentionally attempted to misrepresent the issue.” In late June, Aman summoned Singapore's High Commissioner in Malaysia Ong Keng Yong to explain “the direct participation of diplomats in the illegal rally is an inappropriate move. “I also stressed to Ong Keng Yong that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would not hesitate to take stronger diplomatic actions against diplomats who are found to have stepped beyond the diplomatic norms," he said in a statement after the meeting. The high commissioner argued at the time that deputy Ariel Tan and first secretaries Regina Low and Philomena Aw went in their personal capacities and were not on any official assignment. He said April 28 was a Saturday, and the three members of his mission were free to make use of the weekend to go to the scene. He denied that any had worn a yellow Bersih T-shirt. “Many diplomats from other countries also went to the site of the rally, so why just pick on our three ladies? I am very suspicious of their motives," Ong told reporters. “We enjoy very close relations with Malaysia now and I feel outraged over these allegations," he added. Ong was responding to reports in certain blogs which identified the three women, alleging that they went to the rally to be “actively involved." The blogs stated that this was a clear contravention of ethics under the Vienna Convention. One posting also accused Low of wearing a yellow Bersih T-shirt on that day.
