The following is a letter by Leong Sze Hian to the Today newspaper:
NOW that Mas Selamat Kastari has been captured, Singaporeans must be waiting in anticipation for his interrogation to be completed, to find out how he escaped.
I would like to suggest that the Committee of Inquiry be reconvened so that we can take appropriate measures to ensure that this does not happen again.
In the interest of fairness, the reprimand of the officers concerned may also be reviewed to see if any of them may be less to blame, in the light of new information. After all, they were judged based on the Committee of Inquiry’s understanding of the most likely escape scenario at the time.
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i think there is no need for this. This type of work is highly sensitive and the less the other party knows about it the better. There should be a high-level of operational secrecy or else the police and security offices cannot do their work properly. Any lessening of blame arising from new discoveries can be dealt internally without the public knowing. Not every issue and events should be open and transparency. Besides the commission of inquiry will take away valuable time needed to fight terrorism. Again my congratulations to WKS and his team for getting the job done surely and steadily.
(and i think we should not be vindictive and always thinking about punishing people who make mistakes!)
yes correct and btw GIC, Temasek holdings should also fall in the same catergory of operational secrecy otherwise our top brains in investing cannot function.
Since he was captured in Malaysia, Singapore government may be reluctant to extradict him back to Singapore to avoid further embarassment when the true story of how he escape from Whitley camp is extracted from Mas selamat. The truth maybe he just walk out of the camp through the main gate without anybody knowing him.,
we must hear the true accounts from Mas Selamat.
“Committee of Inquiry” – who forms it. Picked by who? what background? Can it be totally Independent? As independent as independent board of directors? independent auditors?
What if they say its too confidential to reveal exactly how he escaped? What to do?
Please lar, you all push so hard.
Later on still the lower ranking staff become scape-goats.
The unemployment rate for the low ranking citizen is already very high.
Hi All,
Currently the Malaysian Minister Hishamuddin is hinting that they are not keen to return Mas Selamat immediately to Singapore, pending investigation on his alleged operation to do harm in Malaysia.
If Singapore keeps applying pressure to get him, Malaysia has the right to ignore.
OR maybe the Malaysian Special Branch is bargaining with Singapore for the 1 Million bounty which is restricted for Singapore citizens only?
I can think of only 2 reasons of why it may be confidential about how he escape
1. it would implicate high ranks officials
2. the ‘holes’ are not yet plugged. If it was revealed, others can STILL follow suit.
its malaysia truly asia vs uniquely singapore. if the Committee of Inquiry must reconvened, the members should be changed.
i agree with #8 lobo76
now the singapore authorities are really worried. all the gaps in their system will be revealed when mas selamat tells the world how he escaped, SWIMMING across the causeway. also the malaysians are probably trying to extort us.
I think SG secretly dont want MSK back home, whatever the public portrayal may be.
“Let the Malaysians keep him. One less hot potato in our hands. Good riddance!” may be their honest but secret sentiment.
“No need to open up the Pandora’s box again. We can always say we have no access to him, if at all we have to say anything.
We can always slam the thing shut as secret or top secret, and threaten anyone who speculate this and that, including those pesky irritating stupid out-of-work bloggers, with the ISA. That will be good enough to keep the pestering public quiet. We have always done so. And it always work.
We may get that one – that fugly thing – who said, Shut up and Sit down, to be our PR. She damned effective. So our style. I like her.”
A very timely and good call Mr Leong. With the Arrest, Mas must though not neccessary will, reveal how he got away.
It is hard tgo believe that he was able to escape to a foreign country without been assisted. And the bizzare no fortified grill in toilet, cctcv not working and tracker dog not deployed initially and all that, simply require an intensive and extensive inquiry into the failures.
Me not alarmed by the existence of Mas; other than the so-called ‘his plan’ to wreak damage and havoc, he was not found with any hardware to actualize ‘his plan’. BUT I AM VERY ALARMED BY THE SEEMINGLY EASE a prisoner in a High Security Detention Centre can escape NOT JUST FROM THE PRISON ITSELF BUT MADE IT TO A FOREIGN LAND.
Yes, an inquiry is needed and IT SHOULD BE A BIG COMPREHENSIVE INQUIRY.
patriot
I agree with #7
On top of this, they may also ask for Straight Bridge; Revised of Water price; CPF withdrawl for W. Malaysian; and ……. Do we have bargain power?
Singapore is so small, with so much money to spend to run daily operations, I was utterly disappointed by the failure to contain MSK that led to the spending of so much additional resources to bring him back.
As it is so small, so much fewer people to control and monitor compared to larger cities and countries, I expect the root cause be transparently and unbiasedly and honestly and accountably revealed in an official document and allow public representatives to question the report.
National security should be top priority.
Anyone think that there will be reward/promotion given to for mistake that should not even had happen?
I believe there will be as it is a “PURE” mistake.
I hope the M’sian press will spill the beans on how Mas had escaped from Sg.
If that account contradicts with our official version, someone will have to answer for it.
Frankly speaking, I don’t believe he escape in the first place. The co-exist of all the lapses in security is just too coincidental.
His escape to Malaysia is possible but unreasonable.
Something is cooking!!! Who is the cook?
We have to be really vigilant, maybe it is a trap. We will never know. What is he planning to do? We better get info quick before too late.
I think he should be brought back quick and let see what he has to say and what the ISA have to say. Not that I believe they will reveal the truth.
I smell a mole. Do not know whose mole is it?
That is only me, I could be wrong.
Hmmm… how convenient… just a short few days ago, the issue ot emerging Christian Fundamentalism was just cooking and …
a twist (manipulation) of fate now sees Islamic Fundamentalism/Terrorism back in the headlines… Disgusting Political Media Play!!
Since he is alive. There is a big security issues here. Hope that we get to know how he get away and where he stay in the pass one year. It will be a big lesson to learn for Singapore.
Think no need for COI. CID conduct a second investigation to see if internal breach can liao.
COI was just a big show.
Eh ya hor reconvene COI, resonable suggestion.
But then I thought we already moved on (presumably ahead)? So if gahmen reconvene, then are we moving backwards? Thus if reconvene, then should those who were sacked, demoted, etc, can they sue the gahmen should it be found that they were wrongly punished.
Any thoughts fromthe floor?
I used to work for one of the gahmen intelligence or security agencies and I carried out simple duties but they were highly classified.
I carried out translations from the sing Malay press to English.
Is that very very classified? They said yes.
Where you are , you know you cannot tell anyone. You must give your own spin, any spin and sing people do not ask too many questions.
The whole agency is very compartmentalised so that secrets do not get leaked out.
Then they wanted to study me and so they opened their mouths and talked to me and in the process we assessed one another.
As I have the gift of the gab and I was even placed third in a uni oratory contest and so I told them some juicy stories. They listerned and enjoyed them.
At the end of the day the people in the whole outfit are not smart and that is why they are there. They will all see or die in the private sector.
To come back to the point that is why Mas Selamat managed to escape. The whole detention centre is full of holes because the jokers running it are not very smart.
Smart people do not want to work in hush hush outfits as they like to be high flyers in the private sector.
If I run the show I will put trained dogs and a few of the m in the grounds of the centre. They will tear any escapee to pieces and will eat him up.
The other layer of security is quite simple. Put leg chains on the detainees so that they cannot climb and run fast.
Rurehe #21
The suggestion in your last sentence is out of order and worthy of a fascist state.
You cannot go around putting leg-irons on people as in Dickensian times.
Remember those in ISD custody have not been charged in a court of law and have not been proven guilty. Many people have been detained by ISD and subsequently released. I do not want to quote names but there are many well known cases.
How would you like it if, in case you were detained for any reason, you were placed in leg irons like an animal?
It is bad enough we have ISD. We don’t need this.
good maybe after investigation the head of the prison is not at fault or even should not be blame so badly,
we should be as fair as mr leong.
if our mp and minister are all as fair as mr leong i think singapore will be even a better place.
Hi Peter Sellers,
The idea of indefinite detention under ISA is a bad one, but it does not mean that it should be considered bad to have the ISD. The ISD is Singapore’s equivalent of MI5 in the UK. Their job is to provide internal security measures against foreign intelligence and political activities in Singapore.
Instead, we should be focusing on the reform of the ISA. Proposals such as introducing a judicial process to the ISA and having a cap on number of days to be detained without trial under the ISA within the fiscal year should be considered.
While I am all for singapore’s security and safety,
I have a question that most have:
What is the good reason that people can be locked for long periods of time without Trial?
My reasoning is, if there is strong and clear evidence of someone’s crime, he would be sentenced by a judge based on this evidence. Is this not the proper way and convincing way and fair way to treat a human?
The law of detention without trial is always a tricky one. For one it allows officers to round up the network of terrorist cells before they know that one of their ranks has been arrested, but at the same time it goes against a person’s right to a fair hearing and trial.
It should be noted that ISA and it’s variants worldwide (in US and UK etc) have proven to be crucial in preventing serious terrorist acts from being committed. As such I would hesitate to say ISA should not exist. Maybe like what the person above says, more checks and transparency in the process of detention shoud be enacted to ensure that ISA is not misused and detainees are not held for longer than it is absolutely necessary.
Cheers
Smallvice585 #24
Agree.
In the UK the maximum detention period without trial is 28 days. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_Act_2006.
It is interesting you say “Their job is to provide internal security measures against foreign intelligence and _political activities in Singapore_”.
This is the problem :) .
Peter Sellers # 27
Think he was refering to political activities of a subversive nature. All internal agencies do this
Dont think there is anything new that can be learnt from an ISD COI.
Maybe the COI should be conducted on Mindef and the rest of the agencies to see how he slipped through their dragnet?
No need to waste time calling for another COI lah. The first was called to find the gaps and make sure such lapses dun happen again. What’s the purpose of having another one now? you think we will know how he managed to swim across undetected? Our security agency would probably sealed off that route so that others like illegal immigrants cannot come in by this route. Such info will not be made public. Therefore, no reason to waste time having another COI when at the end of day, everything will be withheld due to security concern.
Hi Peter Sellers,
I meant foreign political activities. I should add that ISD is also responsible for nabbing any political groups that may want to overthrow the government. Pastor Derek Hong was quoted in The Christian Post that he supports a theocracy. Does he want to overthrow the Government of Singapore to set up a theocratic state?
Another COI would mean another whitewash. What’s the point and sheer waste of taxpayer money. The real blow we want to deliver, if you think sole responsibility for the escape is on him, is just remember not to vote for Wong Kan Seng in the next GE. It is simple, effective and ground-shaking with widespread implications.
@ Hal 31)
Yes Hal you are so right about COI whitewash. Mas Selamat’s limping out of prison was a comedy followed by a laughable bunch of stooges appointed for the COI.
The ordinary citizens conduct their own COI by the way they use the votes for WKS
in the next GE.
I think this saga is a big embarrassment and the truth wouldn’t be out because “The Truth hurts”. As usual, an official investigation would be conducted and the results would be to minimize embarrassment (save face).
Anyway, the investigation results would be released on the same day as some other big news, to cover up the impact.
Of course, the blame would be shared, and i got a good feeling they would reward someone with the good work of “capturing” him. Then case closed happily. Strange country we live, i must say!
Now, anyone can ask who would get the medal?
1. WKS
2. ISD
3. The nasi lemak seller who Mas Selamat bought from, in JB.
@ doctorwho 33)
The Malaysian Special Branch should get the medal for capturing Mas Selamat
and be given the reward money as well. It should be left to Malaysian Home Affairs to decide on who and how with regards to the medal and reward money provided PM Lee is capable of showing gratitude in kind and not just empty words. Not doing the right thing means tidah apa cooperation in future….lol
Lets say for argument sake that MSK had help along the way to get out of singapore.
In such a scenario, a COI would only expose all these connectors and disrupt any operation to monitor and arrest those that helped him. Not desirable.
Perhaps a white paper should be issued after a comprehensive internal investigation and whatever necessary arrests.
This way we get access to declassified information and no security operations are hampered.
Yes, I agree that we should give MSB something in appreciation of what they have done. We need to strengthen such ties in the fight against terrorism. Terrorist threat is still present even with the arrest of MSK. Singaporean must stay vigilant. Singapore security agencies must stay double vigilant!!
Smallvice585,
Apologies for the delayed response, have been a bit tied up. (This also serves as a response to Melvin at #28).
I was hoping I wouldn’t have to spell it out. Its an old argument.
It is also a digression where this article is concerned but hope you will bear with me.
The problem with the ISA is that it can and has been used against _domestic_ political opponents. The most well-known example is Operation Spectrum in 1987 otherwise known as the ‘Marxist conspiracy’. The lawyer who attempted to defend the accused, Singapore’s former Solicitor General Francis Seow, was himself arrested under the ISA and later charged in absentia on unrelated issues (tax matters). The key point to note here is that, from all available public material on the subject, no evidence was ever provided by the government that the group intended or was preparing to use violent means to achieve their objectives. No guns, bombs and the like. In other words, it was at worst, an attempt to foment a (peaceful) political movement , albeit of a left-leaning kind.
To your post at #31, anyone who wants to over-throw the government is free to do so by forming a political party and taking his case to the Singapore public.
The ISA is a sledge-hammer that can and has been used to squash ants. That is the problem.
No enlightened population should accept detention without trial for more than a certain number of days (not more than 30-60 at most).
To Melvin at #28: who determines whether political activities are subversive or not?? (If the case is never brought before a court, can we ever know the facts??). Get real.
#38, Peter Sellers,
Hurray, you said whats on my mind for years, thousands of days, million of hours.
Dont be prejudiced, (of course you might tell me not be prejudiced too) read the book, To Catch a Tatar.
Chia Thye Poh is an immortal example, next – Tan Wah Peow.
Some more, go and watch Martyn See’s One nation under Lee, its not that long about 40 minutes’ production.
u think malaysia will let mas selamat come back? if mas selamat gets lost again, he will want to bomb Singapore AND Malaysia