The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned HE Aurelian Neagu, the Romanian Ambassador to Singapore (who is based in Tokyo), to MFA on 11 February 2010 on the matter of the two hit-and-run traffic accidents on 15 December 2009 that involved the Romanian Embassy vehicle S3401CD.
MFA stressed to Ambassador Neagu that the matter is of the highest concern to the Singapore Government and yet again reiterated that it was most important that the Romanian Embassy cooperate fully with the Singapore authorities on this matter.
MFA informed Ambassador Neagu that the Coroner’s Inquiry into the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai will be held from 3 to 10 March 2010. It was explained to the Ambassador that the Inquiry is not a trial, but a fact-finding inquiry to establish the facts where there has been an unnatural death.
MFA handed Ambassador Neagu a diplomatic note seeking the Romanian Embassy’s assistance in requesting Dr Ionescu to return to Singapore to attend the Coroner’s Inquiry. MFA noted that it would appear from Romanian media reports that Dr Ionescu was still maintaining that the car had been stolen and that he was not the driver at the time of the two accidents. MFA pointed out that if Dr Ionescu was maintaining that he was not responsible, it was all the more reason why he should come back to Singapore to give his version at the Coroner’s Inquiry. This will help the State Coroner to ascertain the facts relating to the two accidents. At the Coroner’s Inquiry, Dr Ionescu can also question the witnesses. MFA also pointed out to Ambassador Neagu that Dr Ionescu was welcome to engage a local lawyer to examine the witnesses and put forth his version of the events at the Inquiry. Alternatively, the Romanian Embassy could engage a local lawyer on Dr Ionescu’s behalf.
Noting media reports of Dr Ionescu’s claim in a recent Romanian television interview that there was a witness who could exonerate him, MFA asked the Romanian Embassy to request Dr Ionescu to give the Singapore authorities details concerning the identity of this witness. The witness can then be required to give evidence at the Coroner’s Inquiry.
MFA also handed Ambassador Neagu a second diplomatic note informing the Romanian Embassy that the State Coroner has issued a witness summons for Mr Marius Trusca, Administrative Officer at the Embassy, to give evidence at the Inquiry and assist the State Coroner in establishing the true circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Tong Kok Wai. The witness summons was issued because Mr Trusca’s evidence is directly relevant for the Coroner’s Inquiry. MFA noted that under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, Mr Trusca is not obliged to give evidence as a witness. MFA therefore requested the Embassy to let Mr Trusca’s immunity be waived so that the witness summons may be served on Mr Trusca.
MFA referred Ambassador Neagu to Romanian media reports that in his recent interview by a Romanian television station, Dr Ionescu had also alleged that this was a case of a “set-up” by the Singapore Government because he had been reporting on political activities in Singapore. Dr Ionescu had alleged that there had been a similar case in 2007, when he was also accused of being the driver in a hit-and-run accident, but was eventually let off as he had an alibi at that time.
MFA told Ambassador Neagu that if these media reports had accurately quoted Dr Ionescu, then he had made very serious allegations against the integrity of the Singapore Government which MFA categorically rejected as lacking any basis in fact. These allegations were also a gross insult to the victims of the two accidents. Dr Ionescu’s claim that he had been accused of being the driver in a hit-and-run accident in 2007 is entirely false. Our records show that the Romanian Embassy vehicle S3401CD was involved in two traffic accidents in 2007. The first was a minor non-injury accident where the driver was not Dr Ionescu and the other driver did not wish to pursue the matter. In the second case, it was established then that Dr Ionescu, who was the driver, was not at fault and action was taken against the other driver involved in the accident. These facts clearly show that Dr Ionescu’s claims are fictitious and at no time was he ever accused by the Police of being the driver in a hit-and-run accident in 2007.
MFA also asked Ambassador Neagu for more information on the status of the criminal proceedings in Romania against Dr Ionescu, and on the Romanian system of investigations and prosecutions.
The next step will depend on the Romanian Government’s response to our requests and the outcome of the Coroner’s Inquiry.
source: http://app.mfa.gov.sg/2006/press/view_press.asp?post_id=5787
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OMG this Ionescu is one heck of a jerk. I really hope justice will be served.
What? A “set up” by Singapore Government?! Argh…he is really too much!!
Don’t be stupid Ionescu, you’re not a singaporean, why should the gahmen set you up…
i can believe this is a “set up” by the PAP – an opportunity to unite Singaporeans under the calling of bringing justice to the common people…
ha i can’t believe a white prick from the half baked agriculture backwater of Europe can come out with such a fanciful story…
“ha i can’t believe a white prick from the half baked agriculture backwater of Europe can come out with such a fanciful story…”
dear assasin, this is unacceptable.
i am singaporean, my wife is romanian; we both think that dr. ionescu’s conduct is reprehensible. there is no need to deride romania and its people to put this sentiment across.
it was our government who let him go…instead of holding him back to help with the investigation. so the wayang now is to show that they care but this guy wont be coming back and Romania is saying they would inform dr ion and he can come “on his own accord”, which means Romania is paying lip service.
I think we should consider shutting down Romania embassy, since they spent so much time getting drunk in KTV. And perhaps we should ask all the Romanian officials to leave if they dont turn over Dr Ion. We should also not approve any new visa applications from Romania.
Well, once my American fren was saying, Singapore is so “small”, what can you do ?
Remember the trishaw, F1 Formula Race and the Americans incidents ?
And, also the Lehman Bros scam?
For the scam, the US Govt was quick to impose visa restrictions !
So now if you wish to travel to America for holidays, at the interview you may be asked Have you been cheated of your hard-earned savings ?
So don’t anwer “Yes”, otherwise, dont dink your visa will be approved !
Remarks : Terrorist !
But recently, heard that 100% lost is too great for senior citizens, so can get some returns. (25% ?), lah !
I think soon someone else will copycat this idea !
I think both the MFA and the Romanian authorities have responded very appropriately so far on this issue, bearing in mind that diplomatic overtunes are involved. It is most unfortunate that a life was lost. The Romanians should be given the courtesy of some space to do their own investigations, and the latest is that they have waivered diplomatic immunity on Dr. Ionescu.
Bear in mind that Romania has been a country much longer than Singapore and they never degrade themselves to call their nation a City. I am sure they value their identity, principles and justice — much over some apparent loose cannon. So let see how they can further assist on this case. Remember, we also took 2 weeks before ‘someone’ had the courage to mentioned the Complacency word over MSK’s escape.
If depts like MFA has been able to handle such cases with due diligence and care, it shows that our infrastructure will not collapsed overnight if there is a reshuttling of political parties in our parliament. Much of Singapore’s strength lies with her people who crew the various organisations; my opinion is that the contributions of our current batch of ministers is grossly overrated & we shouldn’t take their pay scale as a gauge for their actual abilities.
Unfortunately, while Singapore’s external PR has always been good (minus what some MPs may say on their own capacity to the world, e.g. our dear STTA president), the internal PR to her own Singaporeans really sucks. Like $10 million to integrate the FTs. Huh? I doubt any true S’poreans even smell that money, much less benefitted from its expenditure. What about “Calibrating the influx” of FWs? 36% of our population already is foreigner, what more calibration is there to do? Peanuts for TT Durai? Cheaper, better, faster? Go to Johor for retirement, etc, etc, etc ….. Sucks, I say.
That Dr Ionescu really shamed his country, Romania. I know only 3 things about this country. 1) A protest by many people and their armed forces, which led to the execution of their president or something. 2) Dracula ?, 3) Liars.
it is all a show for a little people.
if SG were serious, they wouldn’t have let him go back to Romania already. all this big hoohah after he’s allowed to leave is just an act.
This is a absolute inhumane act. Running away to face the music is a total chicken shit.
Offering money does not resolve the matter. Money is not a captial letter F.
Coward jerk!!!!!!
What were the relationship of this 2 married person having a long night together?
what is the latest ? court proceeding ? when will MFA issue the next official statemnt ?
Someone has started a Facebook movement “concerned citizen against hit & run driving” to get outraged netizens to leave down their comments and ask their friends worldwide to join the group in order to start a movement to pressure the Romanian govt to get its ex-diplomat to attend court to give his account of the tragedy.
See http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=nf&gid=348423879052
It gives you clear instruction on how to register your outrage on Facebook group website run by the Romanian government.