Basically they all said the same thing; that it was unfortunate that something had gone wrong and though it was(is) serious, let us all chip in to make amend. There was no hint that someone or anyone should and shall be made answerable at least in a Disciplinary Inquiry, aside from the Commission of Inquiry. Those directly related to the Escape such as the Duty Personnels at the Remand Centre at the Time of Escape and their commanders supervising them, should be asked for the events immediately before the Escape and made public, minimum expectation of the people is a summary of the Incident.

The people was expecting the Government to account for the Incident and make those involved, directly or indirectly, accountable. But so far, there were only expressions of regret and calls for closing rank. But what rank are there to close unless the Government sees and admits a division between itself and the people. There was a blunder in the Escape of a detainee, the Leaders should not allow a bigger blunder from the Incident.

2. Just a very lame and LIMP speech which offers no information, no direction, no promise to improve things, just more ‘please wait for the COI’, made up of a former judge now working and paid handsomely by LEE&LEE, a serving, equally handsomely paid ambassador and equally mindboggling, a Director of the very ministry being investigated! This is how a dictatorship works.

3. I had, in previous conversations with my wife, pointed out that the dictatorship system tends to prefer stupid people in its choice of cronies, a stupid populace who are thus more manageable and less critical, a stupid electorate who cannot see further than some simple cheques at election time and forego their greater interests when such money blandishments are forcibly taken back, with interest, through higher taxes on everything, etc.

4. I had, in those private/public conversations, mentioned that the Singaporean usually can do reasonably when given a detailed IM [must be in English!] or Instruction Manual to follow but fails miserably when the situation is unanticipated and original thinking, analysis or just common sense, are required.

5. WHAT I DID NOT REALISE IS THAT EVEN AT THE VERY TOP, AT LIE KY AND LHL AND WKS LEVELS, THIS LACK OF AN I.M. CONFOUNDS THEM TOO! Horror of horrors! We all know that the LIEgime copies from Hongkong, Japan and the West, but that at least, there would be some people at the top at least who don’t need IMs! I was wrong. Even LIE KY, LHL, WKS proved to be so stupid in mishandling this entire fiasco that they were nonplussed and SPEECHLESS, LIE KY until a day ago and LIE HL today. After too many bloggers had ridiculed them for zipping their golden mouths so tightly.

6. In any other non-despotic country, a Govt and Ministers who

a. wait 4 hours to inform their people that a possibly desperate, wanted man is loose [but little information else]
b. wait several days to reveal what he was wearing
c. refuse to reveal HOW he escaped and other burning questions already asked by bloggers and pressmen
d. refuse to show cctv shots when such cctvs are everywhere, covering every sq cm [even in the PMO's Election Dept]. [This could be because there are NO recent cctv shots since maybe KASTARI is dead and all cctv footage is date and time stamped]
e. appoint a COI made up of cronies and other employees of LEE&LEE
f. pretend not to have an opinion or say nothing for >week
etc, etc,

would have come under heavy condemnation by all and ridiculed to death, but not in fear-gripped and obedient Singapore.

7. To the LIEgime, this is more explosive than if KASTARI had blown up Changi Airport as alleged, because KASTARI had in actuality, BLOWN UP THE LIEgime’s FAKED AND FALSELY PAINTED IMAGE OF INFALLIBILITY AND COMPETENCE. JUST BECAUSE THERE WAS NO I.M.!

WE ARE GOVERNED BY POOR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE …

who doesnt know the definition on independent committee…

who fear to face the press….

lack of internal control..

no back up plan…

OH GOD! THEY HAVE GOOD DIRECTOR’S REMUNERATION!

They could stop James Gomes at the airport.

BUT!

They COULD NOT stop Richard Yong flying to Hong Kong.

They COULD NOT stop Took Leng How from WALKING across the causeway.

They COULD NOT stop a LIMPING man from escaping through a prison window.

Conclusion: Opposition members are more dangerous and closely-guarded than terrorists, murderers and frauds.

Uniquely Singapore. PAP makes me sick.

Assuming it was right to imprison this Mas Selamat guy, why were non-security threats such as Francis Seow, catholic social workers, and Teo Soh Lung taken in under ISD?

How can these people be worth so much money? They’re just gansters and thugs…

Tiredman – Thanks for your feedback. Yes I believe we will be refocusing back on bread and butter issues, including the issues raised during the Budget debates. Thanks for your regular readership.

When it is(was) time to ask important and relevant question(s), the Media People seem to lack the gumptions, shame on You People, truly shameful!”"”"

if reporters ask, and ministers refuse to reply, what do you suggest they do?

I would suggest TOC’s writers to focus back to the other fundamental issues (eg:budget 2008)and take initiative to report updated news of Mas Selamat. I appreciated TOC’s continual effort for acting as informal communication channel to the top.

Really sick and tired of how this country functions….still so country bumpkin,after soooo many years!

Kevin

“The reality of Singapore is that all high profile members of society (elites, CEOs, Judges ..etc) are inextricably linked to the Government in one way or the other. Wouldn’t that make it near impossible to find a truly ‘independent’, ‘neutral’, ‘objective’ individual?”

Given our government’s penchant for trusting foreign talent and expertise, why not get a group of experts from FBI, FSB, DSGI, Interpol or MI6… ?

The bottom line: don’t say it is independent when it does not even look independent.

Could this be the assumed definition implied by the gahmen since they always live inside their own world disconnected from real world.