The South China Morning Post, of April 29, in a report headlined, 'Singapore seeks ruling on standing of HK emigrants' quoted me as having said: 'If such people declare they have a Singaporean passport but want permanent residency, they will not be eligible for permanent residency and so can't have an SAR passport.' This is incorrect. I did not say this.

As I understand it, under the Basic Law, foreign nationals who have ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for not less than seven years are eligible for permanent residence in Hong Kong.

SEE CHAK MUN Commissioner of the Republic of Singapore