Thursday, February 5, 2009 1:54
Rewarding Mas Selamat?
In Main Stories, Uncle Leong, Uniquely Spore • 1,482 views • 19 Comments
By Leong Sze Hian / Columnist
I REFER to the article “More likely fugitive has fled” (ST, Jan 16).
It states that “Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng narrowed it to either of two scenarios: one, he is in Singapore and hidden by sympathisers unknown to the authorities, or, two, he has fled the country”.
Last year, the minister announced a million dollar reward for information on Mas Selamat (“Million- dollar reward”, Sunday Times, Jul 27).
I would like to suggest that we consider the issue of the anonymity and safety of the two noble and public-spirited Singaporeans who offered the one million dollar reward.
In view of the various lapses of our HomeTeam last year, there is no one hundred per cent guarantee, that their identity will be secret forever.
How many people in the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Prime Ministers’ Office may already be privy to their identity?
How many of their family members may already know?
Since it is a good idea, I think we should not let these two persons and their families, businesses, etc, shoulder the burden of the spectre, that someday, they may be discovered, and thus risk the revenge of terrorists.
The solution in my view, is for the Government to pay the $ 1 million.
This may be a small price to pay, if Mas Selamat can be caught.
As to the argument that there has been no precedent to depart from the policy not to pay a reward, there is no price too large, or sacred cow too sacred to be slaughtered, against the catestrophic damage to lives and property if Mas Selamat returns to strike.
Since the identity of the two persons offering the $ 1 million is being kept secret to protect them, why was the identity of the company which offered a $ 50,000 reward, and the organisation which offered $ 5,000, in March last year, revealed in the first place?
Does it mean that those who donate $1 million need protection and anonymity, but those who donate less don’t?
By the way, is the $1 million reward still available?
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19 Comments
Selamat Xmas.
Move On-ner
Do u think u can make any difference come Feb 27th? How many seats do u have in parliament in he 1st place?
They have so many seats that the one who was suppossed to resign did not, push all responsiblilities to ikan bilis guards, have the PM’s backing to shoot down any challenger(s), tell people to move on, tell people he is the top talent and deserve the top pay,and down think its more likely that Mas may no longer be in Singapore could be a more likely possibility.
If I am u,i’ll jus move on like what he told Singaporeans..there is really nothing you can do that matters. How much more of this shit can the Singaporeans swallow?
jokers wild
So, after very careful and extensive analysis, our highly talented ,obscenely paid, leaders have come to the conclusion that he is either in Singapore or outside Singapore.That is what my 2-year old daughter told me.
Actually, there is a third possibility–he could have used a H.G Wells machine to time travel to the time of Sang Nila Utama. That was the time when the leaders were not monkeys.
alky
I wonder if our elite Home Affairs Minister would resign if there comes a day Mas Selamat carries out a terrorist plot successfully in Singapore? Just what will it take for him to appreciate the meaning of “The failure is not yours but mine” like what John McCain said?
But then again in elite heaven I guess the meaning of accountability only applies to lesser mortals and not ivory tower monkeys.
Abang Halimi
I am impressed by our leader’s analytical abilities. Yes, its reassuring that we have capable people in charge. We are in good hands. It does not surprise me their high market value.
Having said the above, question remains:
Where is MAS SELAMAT ?
The terrorist leader of a cell as alleged.
Jackson
I saw an article weeks ago…
PM Lee Hsien Loong – degree holder of blah blah blah
Mas Selamat – PSLE education
Mas Selamant outsmarts PM Lee Hsien Loong.
Soon it will be one year anniversary of Mas Selamat’s ‘grand escape’ from Whitley Road Detention Center. As more and more time is wasted, the govt’s face is slowly peeling off.
Wattanaporn
One year after the incident,he did not resign = Singaporeans losing out million-dollar minister salary in the year to pay him to say something that even a 2 year old can say.
Lesser Mortal
Can I be a Minister if I narrowed it to either of two scenarios: one, he is in Singapore and hidden by sympathisers unknown to the authorities, or, two, he has fled the country.
Or better I narrow it further to one scenario; “he can be anywhere by now”.
Netizens please regulate me because they may say that you all never do your job.
Aki
I can bet you that if WONG KAN SENG resigns tomorrow, he will not even earn quarter of his salary in the outside world without government help. He is just a bloody hopeless bootlicker and everybody knows that. He just happened to be in the right place at the right time in his life. This WKS is a damned arrogant, sycophantic civil servant and nobody likes him at all! Moron!!!!
alky
To be more specific:
“He can be anywhere but not in WDC by now”
So can I have a million dollars a year too? Ok lah, you can minus off my $300 JCS. drinks tonight on me. Haha.
patriot
Ha ha,
he can,t be in Heaven or in Hell if he’s alive.
THEREFORE, he is either in or out of Singapore !
WHERE ELSE??????
patriot
X
“Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng narrowed it to either of two scenarios: one, he is in Singapore and hidden by sympathisers unknown to the authorities, or, two, he has fled the country”.
You know what, I could be elected as the next Home Affairs Minister too! I could even give three (or more, depending on my salary) scenarios!
And I bet my neighbour, his son, his son’s sons could all do it!
People, pay me peanuts!
Pinkie Elitis
Allow me.
If he is not INSIDE singapore,
then
he is OUTSIDE singapore.
not sure my logic solid enough to impress or not?
X
Pinkie Elitis, you have my vote as the next Minister of Home Affairs!
So, how many ‘peanuts’ do you want?
Singapore Grandfather.
You know what Wong Kan Seng said in Parliament today, when asked what is the situation about Mas Selamat by PAP MP Ho Peng Kee?
Quote: “We will hunt him down as we did before ….” said Wong Kan Seng.
What have they done before? Didi they ever hunt Mas Selamat down and managed to catch him? NO! A big fat NO!
It was the Indonesian Police and Intelligence Agencies that hunted Mas Selamat down and captured, arrested and charged him, and jailed him. After that it was the Indonesian authorities who handed over Mas Selamat to Singapore authorities.
Wong Kan Seng and MHA DID NOT hunt down, capture nor charge Mas Selamat BEFORE!!! That is an indisputable FACT!
Wee Shu Shu Facial Service
I am impressed by WKS’s effort put into MSK incident for about 1 year liao.
Such a dedicated talented talent.
No wonder he deserves the million dollar pay.
I just hope there be no more terrorist running amok in future. Else, how? 1 running around for nearly 1 year not found and add another to increase workload? like this not pro-family leh if a person overworks.
I, wee shu shu lah.
Dixon Lim
Do you all seriously think that Mas Selamat is still alive???
Any sane person will know that escaping from Whitley Detention Centre is an almost impossible task much lest that they mentioned Mas Selamat has a limp.
Maybe the exposure of his escape to all MSM is just a conspiracy to blind everyone that he’d actually been tortured to his death in his cell to cover up for this heinous mistake!
Dixon Lim
Till now, I’m still unable to accept the ‘fact’ that Mas Selamat with a limp can escape from 1 of the most guarded place in Singapore..
Maybe WKS can get a person of similar height, weight, built and limp to hypotheically demostrate how Mas Selamat can escape from the toilet in Whitley through the small window….
SeevilServant
Harry Houdini, if he were alive today, would be all praises for the greatest escape artiste of all time..
Come 27th February 2009, we must make a lot of noise about Mas Selamat’s escape and still at large. It will be the anniversary of his Great Limping Escape.
I am sure the gahmen would try their very best to keep it as low key as possible.
But, we as citizens, whose lives are at stake when Mas Selamat or his gang come back and strike in public place, must remind the gahmen especially that unrepentant Wong Can’t Sing that he has failed us and ourcountry miserably; and that he should not be entitled to any bonuses or raise for the whole year of 2008 and 2009!