SINGAPORE: Officers responsible for Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) detainee Mas Selamat Kastari’s escape from the Whitley Road Detention Centre (WRDC) will be disciplined and penalised, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng said in Parliament on Monday.

Mr Wong said this will include those at the junior officer level, all the way up the chain of command to the supervisory and management levels of the detention centre.

The Commissioner of Police and the director of the Internal Security Department (ISD) have also been told to replace all the WRDC officers — as identified in the Committee of Inquiry report — who were responsible for Mas Selamat’s escape.

Mr Wong, who had spoken to the officers from the ISD and the Gurkha contingent of the police force, added: "I can see that they feel the disappointment most acutely because they have fallen short of the high standards that Singaporeans have come to expect from them."

"This security lapse in WRDC came as a rude and painful shock to them; all the more when the mistakes have turned out to be so simple as to appear silly and incredible. I was shocked and disappointed when first informed of Mas Selamat’s escape on 27 February 2008 via a message on my handphone," he said.

While calling this incident a "dark stain" on the successes the ISD had against terrorism, Mr Wong also highlighted some of the department’s achievements, and he called for a balance in how the whole episode is viewed. He said, "Do not misunderstand me. I mention these facts not to absolve or excuse the ISD from responsibility for its officers’ mistakes or lapses. I mention these facts because we need to be fair and balanced in our judgement and not ’throw the baby out with the bath water’.

"Yes, this episode of Mas Selamat’s escape is a bad mistake and officers who did not carry out their duties as required will be held accountable.

"But ISD — the organisation — and the many dedicated and committed officers who continue to serve in it are resolved to pick themselves up, recover their spirits and move forward relentlessly in their national mission. We must support them in this."

Mr Wong added that it was absolutely essential to find out whether Mas Selamat had been assisted by anyone inside the centre, as not detecting this could lead to more escapes.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) — through a series of interviews, forensic examination of the site, and polygraph tests — found no evidence to suggest any collusion on the part of Internal Security Department officers, detention centre
staff or guards involved.

It concluded that the escape was the result of a combination of factors and was not under the control of any one individual. The attorney—general has thus seen no need to press any charges.

However, while there is no evidence to suggest external help in the escape, it is not clear whether Mas Selamat could have secured help after his escape, which is still being looked into. Mr Wong also acknowledged the disappointment and frustration Singaporeans feel over Mas Selamat’s escape from detention.

"I understand their frustration. This incident should not have happened. But since
it did happen, my priority had to be — to establish the full facts of what (happened) and how it happened, and at the same time, galvanise and focus the energies of the home team and its partners, including the community, to tackle the situation at hand," he said.

He added that despite their disappointment over this security lapse, Singaporeans have stepped forward to work with the government to address the immediate challenge.

"I am deeply grateful for the way Singaporeans have rallied behind our efforts even as they rightly expect a proper accounting," he said.

He thanked the many Singaporeans who have actively put their minds to the problem — to share their ideas and help the security agencies. — CNA/ac

First of all, THIS IS BS. Which stands for something we like to call the faeces of the male version of a cow.

When something goes wrong, you blame everything else except yourself. When something goes right, you take all the credit and say, "Thanks be to ME."

Why am I not surprised that this situation turned out this way. So typical, tsk tsk.

You say that the officers at the ISD have fallen short of the high standards that Singaporeans expect of them. Well, I as a Singaporean, am disappointed that YOU have fallen short of the high standard that Singaporeans expect of you. THAT'S the real truth.

Look at the pay you are receiving! That comes with a way higher standard than the ISD officers are held to, and a way higher level of RESPONSIBILITY. If those under your command do not live up to that standard, I don't think it reflects badly on them. It reflects badly on YOU for giving such poor supervision and poor overseeing and monitoring of the ISD.

So if you're going to discipline, penalize and replace all those under your command, why don't you push it up one more notch and do the same to yourself. You are definitely under-delivering and I think most Singaporeans will agree with me when I say that I'm shocked that you're still in the Cabinet.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN APOLOGY FROM YOU instead of you dumping all the blame on the ISD officers. Maybe if you can put aside all that pride and accept that you are partly to blame for it, then maybe I'll be willing to show you a little respect.

You should take a leaf from the book of the Australian PM who apologized for the discrimination against the Aborigines due to policies from past governments. That is what a government official should be like. You, on the other hand, are right on the other end of the spectrum which is the epitome of cowardliness.

It's been two months since Mr Selamat's escape and you are still investigating. This is efficiency!

This does not mean that I am not grateful for the effort the police etc. have put into searching for him. This does not mean that I am not grateful to the rest of the Government. I love them, but I can't say the same for you. You have sorely disappointed me and every other Singaporean.

Once again, this is BS.