26 February 2010
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesman’s comments in response to media queries about the comments made to the media by Dr Silviu Ionescu:
We are puzzled by Dr Ionescu’s remark that the “prosecutors (in Singapore) were accusing me long before they had the right to . . . They should have done a preliminary inquiry first . . . It was clearly a sign that I shouldn’t come back.” No charges have been made and no judgement has been passed on Dr Ionescu. As Singapore has made clear, the Coroner’s Inquiry to be held from 3 to 10 March 2010 into the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai is not a criminal trial. The Coroner’s Inquiry is simply to ascertain the facts and circumstances of the death.
Police investigations have revealed that the driver of the vehicle at the time of the two accidents was Dr Silviu Ionescu, who was then the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy. Dr Ionescu has denied this.
As we have said many times, if Dr Ionescu was not the driver as he claims, then he should take the opportunity to attend the Inquiry to give his account of the events and pose questions to the witnesses, in order that the true circumstances surrounding the accidents may be determined. Singapore’s legal system is well known internationally for its integrity and transparency. The Coroner will make a finding based on the evidence presented before him.
MFA has sought the assistance of the Romanian Embassy to request Dr Ionescu to return to Singapore to attend the Coroner’s Inquiry as an “interested person” and not as a potential defendant. The Public Prosecutor has not decided whether it is appropriate to charge Dr Ionescu for any offences. The decision will be taken only after all the facts have been clarified at the Coroner’s Inquiry. If the Coroner rules that Dr Ionescu was not the driver, no charges against him will be made. For this reason, it is in Dr Ionescu’s interest to return to Singapore to put his version before the Coroner or to appoint a lawyer in Singapore to do so on his behalf.
Dr Ionescu’s comment that “Someone died. It’s not something solitary, but happens all over the world. There are bigger stories out there” is shocking. We trust the Romanian authorities do not share Dr Ionescu’s irresponsible and callous attitude.
article source: SGPressCentre and MFA
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Cartoonist Ben Soon’s take…
source: Singaporean Says Political Cartoon
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Why cry over spilled milk? If you so called super efficient traffic police can apprehend any serious traffic offence culprit within a day or two, then how is it that Ionescu was allowed to leave the country after 3 days ? If that doesn’t smell as fishy as a dead fish, then I don’t know what it is.
Isn’t it time our most revered WKS come forward to say something USEFUL like “he is either returning to Singapore or not returning at all, but the plausibility of the latter is greater”. But I bet a certain Mrs Goh will also utter something like “Oh, that’s only 1 live lost, that’s PEANUTS”.
“Someone died. It’s not something solitary, but happens all over the world. There are bigger stories out there”
Ok, sure, time for us to send a hit team into Romania to assasinate him just like what happened to the Hamas guy in Dubai.
ok according to the latest romanian transvesette news..our diabetic ambassador no loner wants to come to singapore for he said he have diabeties and most probadLEE will die from fright/flight or whatever…
the funny thinggie part is when he was in singapore all this while even havin the same illness conditions..he can certainLEE drink liquors..molest all the highclass bimbos and an astonished erections for a diabetic bloke is way beyond 1 believes/thinkin….
than again..what do you expect from a tranvesette vampire who hav a getoutofjail card for free?
sg is such a small and resourceless country. the justice system is full of flaws. maybe the malaysia govt can do something to put sg to shame.
He was probabLEE given a blowjob when it happened
PAPy tried to suck up to Dr Silviu Ionescu (an elite?)….by deliberately delaying investigations and readily allowed him to leave the country like hotel. I do not pity PAPy for being kicked in the ball hard and swift by this “elite”. If it is an ordinary Singaporean who committed the accident, the police would have solved the case within a day. Different people different stroke of justice….how amazing can pap be?
it’s nothing to do with elite status or not.
It is more to do with international law that protects diplomats and embassies around the world. He is benefitting from the same protection as our diplomats are protected around the world.
nevertheless, i am pissed that he is so dismissive over the loss of lives.
@Star Wars, People Arrogant Party:
As has been said many times before… The Singapore government had to allow Dr. Ionescu to leave because of international law obligations, since he still had diplomatic status then. The government could neither arrest him, detain him for questioning, charge him, or keep him in Singapore. See the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations:
Article 26: “… the receiving State shall ensure to all members of the mission freedom of movement and travel in its territory. ”
Article 29: “The person of a diplomatic agent shall be inviolable. He shall not be liable to any form of arrest or detention.”
Article 31(1): “A diplomatic agent shall enjoy immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of the receiving State.”
Article 31(2): “A diplomatic agent is not obliged to give evidence as a witness.”
La Nausee,
I agree. If a country like the USA has to justify its actions under International law, it is ridiculous to expect a country like Singapore to flout international law by detaining a person with diplomatic status. Thats the reality of diplomatic immunity.
i don’t understand why we have not gone to war. then spend so much on F15 for what??!!!
honestly, for christ’s sake, this is ROMANIA, not US or China! if we can’t even stand up to Romania, exactly what good are all those F15 for??!! for crying out loud, “puzzled” and “shocked”?! maybe you tarts should be spending time petitioning UN for some resolution on this, or at least send a strongly worded statement to the Romanians that you intend to do something?!
F15 is there to create jobs for GLC companies like ST AEROSPACE. To put rich foreigners at ease, that we have superior toys to protect their wealth first priority and of course in the process protect our home, wife and children. One stone kills two birds. That is to prevent WAR, our economy will be destroyed in the event of a WAR. Funds will leave the country asap if they hear rumours of war. F15 does serve a purpose but end up as a white elephant consuming resources to upkeep and showcase in exercises.
I find MFA a laughing stock as good as MHA in the “MAS SELAMAT ESCAPE”. Both are similar cases:
Both are Cabinet Minister leading the Ministry.
Both let the escapee escaped without knowing
Both are finding difficulties to “invite” them back to Singapore. MS in Malaysia DC, Romanian in Romania.
Both are lacking in communication to the public during the actual events that happened
Both are slow in decision making processes.
Both are finding excuses to justify their actions.
Both are talents spotted by LKY
Both are incompetent in their duties
How do PAP find similarly talented ministers committing similar blunders ? The odds must be very low. It should be a guinness world record!
WELCOME TO UNIQUELY SINGAPORE!
FG
@F15
Go to war? that means mobilizing NSmen.
you want to fly 12 hours to Romania to fight over a hit-run-accident?
Plus our planes are meant to defend ourselves i.e. fly within SE asia.
We are not the US and don’t have aircraft carrier groups to bring our planes all the way to europe.
Small trash fight with big trash=still trash.
My condolences to the victim’s families.
Right thing to do is for big trash to provide some form of compensation in such cases like small trash with diplomatic immunity cases. If not all same ole same ole trash in future can just go around reckless killing without consequences. Send wrong message to foreign trash/talent.
@RW: clearly you don’t understand what is figurative speech. God.
[i]
F15
Feb 28, 2010 6:30
@RW: clearly you don’t understand what is figurative speech. God[/i]
what RW is sayin nobody would mobilised the ariforce to start a war over 1 dead NORMAL singaporean…if the same dead person happenned to be related to the LEE 1st famiLLEE guranteed he send in the airborne flyin Gurhkas…
This Dr. Ionescu scumbag, really has balls. Firstly done a hit and run, kill a man, ran home on pretext of illness seeking treatment. The claim that the papies govt frame him up and now
Dr Ionescu’s comment that “Someone died. It’s not something solitary, but happens all over the world. There are bigger stories out there” is shocking. Why dont papies govt sue him, since they are very good at suing. Let’s see who has bigger balls
Well, anyone know how efficiently Christopher Lingle was handled or other diplomats who dared getting involved in politics or made comments against the men in white with black hearts. A citizens death does not warrant such action.
Wong K S is no better than Mah B T
Check out the blog for a cartoon on this
http://sporesays.blogspot.com
Moderating editor: It was too good not to include in the post itself!
Another case of abuse of diplomatic immunity.
http://forums.vr-zone.com/chit-chatting/570842-police-saudi-arabian-embassy-official-alleged-assault-condominium-resident.html
The funny thinggie part is when he was in singapore all this while even havin the same illness conditions… If it is an ordinary Singaporean who committed the accident, the police would have solved the case within a day
jsmith
thanks