By Mark Baker

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A SENIOR government minister has warned that Singapore could face the chaos that hit Indonesia after the fall of Soeharto if there were too much emphasis on democracy, human rights and press freedom.

The powerful Home Affairs Minister, Mr Wong Kan Seng, praised the authoritarian Soeharto era and said Singapore's prosperity could be threatened if its people rushed to embrace the "hollow abstractions" of democracy and free speech.

"Excess emphasis on democracy and press freedom to the detriment of good governance and stability have led to chaos and loss of confidence. There are many examples of this happening today," Mr Wong said.

In a speech on July 30 likely to cause much offence in Indonesia, he told a gathering of public servants that the rule of the former military strongman Soeharto had provided the order and stability that made economic development possible in Indonesia.

"Remove that order and replace it with no viable or practical alternative, and we sow the seeds of anarchy and chaos. Unfortunately, no-one enjoys any rights in anarchy," he said.

"For the average Indonesian, his quality of life has not been better for the last three years ... Good governance is necessary for the realisation of all rights. Without order and stability, there is no development."

Mr Wong said that Western democratic ideals must be adapted to fit Singapore's circumstances and needs.

"We do ourselves a great disservice if we import unthinkingly and wholesale fashionable and hollow abstractions. Democracy, human rights and press freedom do not exist in a vacuum. By themselves, these concepts do not guarantee development and progress," he said.

"So do not believe those few Singaporeans who tell you that with democracy, human rights and press freedom a hundred flowers will bloom and Singapore will prosper."

He said the government, representing the "silent majority" of Singaporeans, could not allow a noisy minority of dissenters to dictate the country's direction.

"Minority interest groups cannot hope to influence the government to their beliefs without first persuading the majority to their cause."