Four Falungong backers told to leave

FOUR Chinese nationals - all Falungong supporters who held an illegal assembly at MacRitchie Park last December - have been asked to leave Singapore.

Eight other supporters, also Chinese nationals, will be allowed to stay here, provided they behave themselves.

Another Chinese national has already left the country, after her employer cancelled her work permit.

Singapore Immigration and Registration yesterday released details of the action it was taking against them.

They were part of a large group that tried to hold a New Year's Eve memorial service for Falungong members allegedly persecuted and killed in China.

Fifteen of them, including two Singaporeans, refused to follow police orders to leave the area.

Seven members, who prevented policemen from seizing their placards, were jailed a month each, and the other eight were fined $1,000 for assembling without a permit. China has banned the Falungong movement as an 'evil cult'.

The four Chinese nationals asked to leave Singapore will be given some time to settle their personal matters first. They are:

Li Ying, 39, who will lose her permanent-resident status;

Xiong Changlei, 23, and Xiong Shouyong, 24, whose student passes will be cancelled;

Wu Guorui, 23, whose student pass had expired earlier.

The other eight, who will be allowed to stay subject to good conduct, are:

Gao Hao, 28, Hu Jian, 37, Chen Hongmei, 26, and Dong Yuexing, 40, who will keep their permanent-resident status;

Ma Xiao, 29, here on a social visit pass;

Zhang Zhao Pei, 21, and Zhen Hanfei, 25, who will be allowed to continue studying;

Xu Dong, 28, who will be allowed to continue working here.

Kang Cui Wei, 30, has left Singapore.