~by: Jewel Philemon~
“What are the extra ingredients that require expedited justice? It's not rocket science.” – Mr Paul Louis Liew Kai Ming on the inefficacious police force and legal system.”
Inefficient, Ineffective, Slow Police Force and Legal System?
Mr Liew suffered the worst injuries with a broken nose and a deep gash on his forehead. He also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and attends monthly therapy sessions with a psychiatrist. “Whenever I look into the mirror, the scar is there. It’s a constant reminder”, he expresses, “I also have to make sure I don’t hurt anyone through my actions. I have to be anal about myself in controlling my emotions.”
Being attacked from behind has also had its own ramifications for Mr Liew. He says that he cannot bring himself to enter crowded elevators and that if he has to enter one, he turns around and makes sure the door faces his back, “I need to physically place my back on a wall. I cannot have people standing behind me.”
As an undergraduate of an Australian university, Mr Liew also talks about the difficulties of adapting to a new environment, especially amongst Caucasians. “I have to face new people. I have to face Caucasians. I cannot have any prejudices because of this”, he says openly.
However, both Mr Liew and Mr Wong attest that these repercussions are minor compared to the inefficient and ineffective manner the police force and legal system have handled the case.
Mr Wong reveals that despite making three phone calls to the police throughout the duration of the attack, the cops only arrived after the ambulance, about an hour later. Mr Liew, who was almost unconscious due to his head wounds, adds that he only remembers opening his eyes once and seeing the ambulance take a wrong turn.
Mr Wong further mentioned that the investigating officer (IO) acted insensitively and more importantly, unprofessionally. He said that the IO seemed quite unconcerned in his investigations and did not put in enough effort in taking the statements of bystanders who were still in the vicinity.
It was almost a week before Mr Wong and company heard from the IO again and when they finally did speak to the officer, it was only to be told that there were no conclusive leads.
A frustrated Mr Wong took it upon himself to catch the unprovoked assailants. He managed to uncover their identities after an amateur investigation spanning two hours. “They were obviously coming from a charity event! They were wearing suits!” exclaims Mr Wong, “I found pictures and names within two hours. I don’t know how an investigating officer can take a week to do something and still not come up with answers especially when that is their job.”
The investigation officer’s reaction was one of casual nonchalance. According to Mr Wong, the IO claimed that the police force is short of manpower and that they handle an average of forty cases a month. “How is this my problem!”, Mr Wong asks.
Mr Wong and company have been playing a waiting game since then. Frustrated at the lack of swift action, they decided to inform the people via the press.
“Our disappointment has stemmed from the accident site itself”, Mr Liew interjects, “I could have died that night, can I be blamed for being upset?” Mr Liew asks. The assessment that the police force use their own prerogative to prioritise cases only adds salt to the wound.
“We have been conscientious about not hindering proceedings. We only want justice to be served. But it has only been disappointments upon disappointments upon disappointments”, laments Mr Liew.
Mr Liew recounted that it was months before their statements were submitted to court and that even that was only done after much coaxing. “We trust the authorities to do their job. But nothing is being done! What else do we need to do.”
The lack of accountability and transparency is another sore point for the victims. They were apparently told that the case is being handled by the IO, then the AG, and then by the ministry of foreign affairs. “I am still chasing after them while in Australia”, Mr Liew confirms, “I don’t have any benefits from this. I don’t want a story. All I want is accountability.”
It took fifteen months for the case to get to the courts. Fifteen months filled with headaches and roadblocks and justice has still not been served. “You have facts! What is holding you back?”, Mr Liew questions, “I don’t want to speculate, but why is it stagnating?”
“It has been a year and three months and you know everything about the case- A to Z. So what is happening? What are the extra ingredients that require expedited justice? It is not rocket science.”, he opines.
Mr Springall sped away again in December 2011, unbeknownst to the victims of his violent crime. Perhaps to join his co-assailant Mr Robert Stephen Dahlberg, in greener pastures safe from the long arm of Singaporean law enforcement.
–
These pictures were submitted to the police by the victims to assist the police in their investigations:
"We chose not to keep quiet for the sake of the victim of Ionescu, who is already dead," assault victim Lawrence Wong. Watch this space for Part 3.
See part 1 of this exclusive interview HERE and part 3 is HERE.
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SG police are pap dogs. They only bark when told to.
Agree that manpower shortage is tge bl#¥£ problem of the chief or chief’s chief paid highest in the world.
The problem is that the people dare not really fully demand more. In fact people may have under-demanded bcos of bohchapness.
agongkia
12 February 2012
We must not think that angmos are untouchable.So many of them around and yet Lawrence can be the last to get into the taxi and return to save that uncle only after the latter crawl to him and it takes some minutes to decide to help after imagining that he is his father.And you have law undergraduate facing his back to the assailant just to avoid being implicated with law.
——————————
Well, you must ask yourself why we have many people in our society who are too dumbstruck or could not care less to act in such situations, graduates (law) or otherwise.
Even though we know the culprits are untouchable, I would say that certain impression has been given in the form of conflicting official signals, in the way they handled certain past cases and certain judgement given (e.g not only in assualt case).
SPF certainly exhibits raw inefficiencies and greatest lethargy in policing for security and safety of Sporeans! I have lodged a few cases against foreign tenants and many times there is never any action taken by IOs and presumably the cases were conveniently closed…it seems many supposedly govt bodies, depts, and stat boards public service have degraded to an unspeakable shit-pit no Sporean can ever trust them anymore…real shame on PAP!
"Police’s manpower shortage, ‘How is that my problem?’ – Expat assault victims tell all". One solution could be to cut the pay of highly and over-paid public servants and employ more true-bred Singaporeans in the Police Force.
By the way, I am appalled at the fact that foreigners who had broken the law could abscond primarily back to their home country as their passports were not impounded. Passports of all foreigners who are involved in court cases must therefore be impounded until they are over. Would-be law-breaking foreigners then will think twice if not thrice before they bully our people in our own country and then get away scot-free! Justice must be served!
This really shouldn’t be cast as a foreigner vs local incident. We just don’t know enough about that angle. That our system granted bail to suspects who subsequently fled unhindered on repeated occasions is sufficient cause for alarm and calls for accountability. What is the point of prominently prosecuting writers for authoring publications casting aspersions on our system? To defend it and tell the world our shit dun stink, only to have whiffs wafting around?
Hide baby hide
Run baby run
You can run, you can hide
there;s nowhere to hide
You' llbe back in little red dot
to dance to the music
Catch the, the world is a global village. If they gewt scot free, the sing will become a laughing stock in the world.
How come the minister of home affairs fail to catch them and they have flown away, like the birds and now as free as the wind. Perhaps, temporarily. Is Sing scared of the ang moh. Scared to can tsnow white backside and draw blood. Ang moh backside are the same as all backsides.
The SPF has entered into a state called "self-destruction" state. Their insipid and nonchalant attitude towards handling cases which to them might be trivial has stirred up many unhappy sentiments among us citizens.
I also had a frustrating experience with SPF when my former sub-landlord's wife tried to find trouble with me right in my shop sometime in 2007,after I reported him to the shop's landlord which was a company overseeing the rental deals of all shop units under their wing.So I called for the police for help,but they arrived only 1 hour later!And the best part was when I fumed and asked what took them so long to arrive,they gave the lamest of excuses that they had problem finding a parking space!!! I rest my case since then.
no value work for SPF? where is my superman and spiderman?
So ST told us the half truth again. Singapore is best place to live, yes but not for Sporeans? It is for foreign investors, expats & their families, foreign students, foreigners in general.
You are spot on to have your account of the assault and police unacceptable inefficiencies and unprofessionalism published online for all to see. We will put pressure on them to hold them accountable. Don't worry.
as usual, in singapore, #1: Angmoh #2: Singapore citizens. This should be brought up in Parliament. Too bad the MIW are just busy trying to defend their salaries.
If Mas Selamat can escape from a city, or is it nation, or country, or a little red dot or pimple…and in a rubber tube from the hapless police and military, wot the f56k do you expect? There have been far too many foreigners (predominantly white?) that have "comfortably sashayed" out of the country. And I do not think these foreigners used a rubber tube.
Foundational and fundamental problems in all facets of the judiciary officials, police officers, border control officers, including the MHA, SPF, ICA and all government agencies linked to the known cases of fugitives that have fled the country. Very suspicious circumstances IMHO.
Shortage of manpower? When it come to deploying TPs as snipers on roads to catch speeding vehicles or to issue fine tickets they have lots of manpower. When it comes to catching crooks, esp Ang mos, they shortage of manpower. Why not just put it straight? The formal brings in the revenue for the pappies while the latter does not!! Mickey mouse police…
SPF definition of investigation:
Step 1: Take statements.
Step 2: keep statements in record files.
Step 3: go for canteen break…
Reasons why they take one hour to arrive at crime scene upon report of fight; they very much knew that fights lasts only a few minutes and they(police) won't get there in time anyway. So might as well go for supper first!! Tis is truth told to me by a formal policeman!!!
I suspect that if the guys who committed the assault were from Bangladesh, the police would discover a sudden bout of efficiency and this forum would be filled with people calling for the guys to be hanged.
But since they are Ang Moh's the police do not seem to believe they are capable of being criminal and the Singaporean public gets very protective of them – "Oh, we got to be fair etc etc."
Why do we need to be fair to Ang Moh's and harsh on Banglas etc etc. The Ang Moh's come to "supervise" us and the Banglas and other Asians do back breaking work we won't do. Yet at the end of the day, we cannot help but welcome the guys screwing us and screw the guys who do real work for us.
The police was very efficient in stopping TOC reporter talking to the Bangladesh workers during the recent strike. How come it is their job leh?
Next time if there is a flood, go and take pictures, the police will be there in a jiff to handcuff you! LOL!
In total agreement with Tang Li. Many Singaporeans will vehemantly deny this, but I've seen the Pinkerton complex unfold right before my eyes numerous times, from retail stores to restaurants/eateries & nightspots to even the workplace. Little wonder the white men have little respect for us, if any- we're prolly just their obediant, eagar-to-please dogs in their eyes. :/
DISCLAIMER: of course I do not mean every retail/service or office worker has a bad case of the "Pinks", but the general atmosphere there are overwhelming…sometimes due to "envirornmental influence" if you get the drift. A friend who once worked in retail even told me that her boss explicitly instructed her to be nicer to their Caucasian customers. And usually, the only Asians they will treat better are the Japanese.
Btw I am strongly reminded of the Inosceau case – had it not been the public outcry I suspect he would be quietly gone back to Romania without an arrest warrant.
shortage of manpower? then why is it my repeated attempts to do voluntary constabulary work did not even get a response from them?
See http://www.nzherald.co.nz/singapore/news/article.cfm?l_id=92&objectid=10737574 Robert Dahlberg is in a town called Nelson in NZ.
I just can't stand it anymore……
Shortage of police personnel
Shjortage of nursing staff
Shortage of medical officers
Shortage of bus/mrt drivers
Shortage of full-time qalified teachers
Shortage of hospital beds
Shortage of dentists
Shortage of buses and mrt trains
Shortage of Singapore talents(so import FTs)
Shrtage of babies(so import FTs)
Shortage of workers(so import FTs)
What's the PAP good for then?
Answer: World Highest Paid Ministers with 13.5 months bonuses! Never heard in the world!
Shortage of manpower my foot! I've lost count of the number of times when 3-4 policemen standing around doing nothing at the scene of a petty crime! They are all over the malls and the east coast beach for goodness sake! Incompetence and lack of management is the issue for SPF!. The other issue of course is our govt preference to turn a blind eye to ang moh foreign criminals. It's too obvious already!!
reading all these public misconduct coming from talents our gahMEN hold in higher esteem than our own good sgporeans,i cannot help but ask IF THE GAHmen have been importing substandard FOREIGN REJECTS of otehr countries into SG to replace our own good citizens in more recent years?
the 'EXPATS' we once knew were somewhat 'haughty',NO DOUBT,BUT then,they did conduct themselves with decorum and were quite well-versed in their fileds of expertise.
these days,we 'anyhow old how ' allow foreign rejects to be called lovingly as FTs?
it is either our gahMEN are sleeping,nonchalant or irresponsible or sgporeans are daft?
SP is losing its credibility compare to in the 90 , you wander around after midnight and you will see policemen coming to question you but not now police operate in a police post and its not 24 hour.Why the changes , before there police petrol every where. I remember many time I met police on my way back from work at around 1 am and the officer greeted me and ask you work so late.
Singaporeans can't help to strongly believed that this is how th epolice 'managed' to keep the crime rates low – i.e. by dumping such cases into dust-bin.
Clever move.
So the chief of police & the PAP ministers can claimed 'excellent' performance bonus for themselves.
This is how singapore is today. what a shame!!
And the saddest truth is that there are more that are not exposed just yet.
Ya the spf need to wake up I do face an incident
where the police(sgt) ask me to lodge a report at ant
police station instead of taking down my report on the spot.worst is after a certain period the police can tell
me they misplace the culprit address?????/
Remembered in the 90s, Michael Fay n his Thief + Vandalism punishment??? see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_P._Fay
Now this assults + public disorder incident n suspects fleed 1 by 1?
What gives? the fabric of our society as in Justice n Equality, (govt to heed) so will Happiness, Prosperity n Progress.
Mr.T
At least its better than just complaining on our men in blue.I agreed with you all that they are incompetent but that is the reason we must help them more as a citizen.
Take up the initiative to help when you see your fellow singaporean being bullied on front of you after calling 999.
Stand up.Together we fight crime.Dun let those naughty angmo think that the law is in their favour and continue to bully our locals.
and @Tan Kin Lian.
Your comments prove to me that 90% of singaporean are smart.You dun need someone with high qualification to be a good IO.Those with lower education may be much better than those bookworms,as far as investigation is concern
increase pay of rank and file, take the extra spending from pay cut of senior officers and there will be enough of nurses, police etc
Pinkerton Effects – some case studies:-
1.A caucasian argued vehemently to obtain a seat in SIA at the ticketing counter. He was arguing for at least a 'Jump Seat' and I could not understand. Finally the Singapore Cha-bo gave him a boarding pass and apologised for the inconvenience.
2. There was a long queue of locals on a Saturday Night at the Ministry of Sound and some ang mohs arrived and talked their way through with the bouncers smiling in servitude.
3.A drunk US marine was harrassing a group of local girls. Despite the girls warning the marine held the hand of one of the girls. When the Spf arrived they did not arrest him but warned him to behave and they left. Although the marine moved off, he caused a bloody raukus just 100 meters away getting drunk again.
Why should we be lenient to Ang Mohs? Why do they get away with it?
During the 90s, there were frequent policemen patrolling the street, now I rarely see them.
If the upper management is more concern with other stuff, there bound to be lapses in security.
But the police r a joke, I was accuse of molest by ex gf, when I ask for my stuff back in a very public area with security cam, n when they come, they just ignore me n my request for my stuff. Obviously she stole from me. And warn me to stay away. I got the evidence but not the heart to press charges.
the PAP claim that we will become mail in another country if it is not for them
but we get beaten up and run over by foregners in our own country
fark the PAP
You are daft
I better learn karatae for own protection, especially against ang mohs so that if they try to be kwai lan with me, i will whack the hell out of them. Can?
@Tan Hwa
Misplace culprit's address? This is comedy material, LOL!!!
@Change
Women stole from you & report molest and the police ignored your side of the story. Yes, police are a joke but this is sob story material.
@Eugene
The PAP has spoken, it is money (the economy) they are after and they know no other way to built it without foreigners & casinos. So do accept & tolerate the pains.
The money & pride, yes pride, of punching above your weight is worth it to the majority, if not for survival, it is to show it to the world (as if the world cares if Sg is no.1).
The Singapore Police Force's response to fights and gang clashes is a minimum delayed response of 30 minutes. It is an unofficial law among cops.
Secondly when they arrive they are supposed to arrive with the blaring of sirens so as to scoot the remnant of fighters still lingering for action.
This is done so more for their administrative convienience. A freind tells me why would a cop step in between a feiry fight and in the process create chances of injuring themselves.
MHA was under the purview of WKS, the so-called "population czar", who allowed flies, mosquitoes and louts to come through the windows. He has the population expanded so fast and furious that the SPF was bursting at the seams, and housing became such a problem. Glad he is gone.
Dear Singaporeans, in no circumstances should you fight or cause hurt, even if in self defence, because you might get charged for it. Don't forget that "the long arm of Singaporean law enforcement" 100% applies to Singaporeans. It is SINGAPOREAN law enforcement, NOT foreigner law enforcement which does not exist, so foreigners can be lawless in here.
Get bullied or get beaten? Do as our minister had said:"Bite the bullet".
@citizen – WKS is gone? Nein, nein, he is back as PM's advisor. He can never be gone.
Can expose the name of that IO? We should be writing to MHA on this.
@Jan
Wongcunt Sing has plenty of experience dealing with Vietnamese refugees as an ISD officer. Wongcunt Sing was solely responsible to ensure that none of the boat people anchored and become singaporeans. As the pm's advisor he is well poised to advice lhl how to make Singaporeans as refugees in their own country.
@eugene – The boat people are stupid, it is so easy to become Singaporean, is there a need to go the refugee way? No wonder they are so easily caught by the very talented Wong Ka Ceng. And he is also well poised to advise on how to export our women out as maids to generate more GDP in the near future.
@NAZI PAP – PAP is by no means Nazi. Nazi is formed based on nationalist ideals, with a belief that their very own Aryan race deserves the best, thus hating other races. PAP is the opposite, believing that Singaporeans deserve the least, thus loving foreigners.
terrible…singaporeans are at mercy of foreigners.. it seems not only this …singaporeans are being bullied from jobs being taken away by foreigners too…80K jobs taken by foreigners and 40K by citizens out of 120K jobs created in 2011 and the situation is worse in 2010…as report from newspaper…
What is this place now..I dont recognise it is a place where our ancestors slog hard…no wonder singaporeans are giving less birth..we cannot even take care of ourselves why let the next generation suffers???