Feb 28, 2008
<!-- Author --> By Ng Kai Ling <!-- more than 7
paragraphs --><!-- story content : start -->A SECURITY
lapse at the Internal Security Department's Whitley Road detention
centre allowed Mas Selamat Kastari, the leader of the Singapore
Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) network, to escape on Wednesday
afternoon.
Minister of Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng said in Parliament on
Thursday that Mas Selamat was taken out of his cell to go to the
family visitation room to wait for his family.
There, he requested to go to the toilet and then escaped.
Mr Wong, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, said that the
incident should not have happened and he is 'sorry that it
had'.
He added that security at the centre has since been stepped
up.
MP Teo Ho Pin earlier asked: Why, since Mas Selamat is a
security threat, did the authorities take four hours to inform the
public of the escape?
<!-- show media links starting at 7th para -->Mr Wong
explained that this is because the agencies assessed at that time
that there was no imminent danger to the public, and that the focus
then was to lock down the immediate vicinity of the detention
centre.
He added that there was no information that the escapee has any
plan that threatens public security.
He emphasised that the priority now is to arrest the Jemaah
Islamiyah leader and no efforts will be spared.
All checkpoints are on high alert in case the escapee tries to
leave the country.
Mr Wong urged the public to stay calm and warned that anyone who
renders assistance to Mas Selamat is commiting an offence.
don't say sorry. step down. this is like the SARS episode all
over again. china didn't warn others when they suspected the SARS
virus was rampant in china. they tried to control the situation,
but only inform others when it blows out of hand.
i believe that the word used to describe them then was
"irresponsible".
i think this word can be used here again to describe those
involved in the security of singapore home affairs.
