MM Lee blames complacency for JI leader's escape

[Route88]

March 8, 2008

MM blames complacency for JI leader's escape

If fugitive leaves the country, Singapore must brace itself for a 'return hit'

 

By Peh Shing Huei

 

MANAMA (BAHRAIN) - THE escape of Mas Selamat Kastari is a 'very severe lesson in complacency' and it shows that Singapore is not infallible, said Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew yesterday.

However, if the former Jemaah Islamiah (JI) leader is still in Singapore, Mr Lee believed that he would not be able to launch an attack.

 

But if he has escaped to Indonesia, he would be able to link up with his old networks and Mr Lee warned Singapore that it must brace itself for a 'return hit sometime'.

 

Asked by Singapore reporters here for the impact of the escape on the country's international reputation, Mr Lee replied that it was 'not very good' for its security services.

 

'We should have known that here is a man who has had several escapes,' he said at his wrap-up media interview here after a week-long visit to three Gulf nations.

 

'But obviously, he is a very wily sort of person and must have won the confidence of whoever were his custodians.

 

'So when he said he wanted to go to the toilet, they allowed him to go to the toilet. Whether the toilet had bars and there was no exit from the windows, that has to be explained.

 

'I give him full marks for having won the confidence of his custodians - that he's completely docile, completely passive and he's going to remain in captivity.'

 

Mas Selamat, 47, who had previously planned to crash a plane into Changi Airport, escaped from Internal Security Department (ISD) custody at the Whitley Detention Centre on Feb 27.

 

He has been on the run since, with his escape having sparked the biggest manhunt in Singapore's history.

 

Mr Lee said that the escape showed that Singapore is not infallible.

 

'It shows that it is a fallacy, it is stupid to believe we are infallible. We are not infallible. One mistake and we've got a big explosive in our midst. So let's not take this lightly,' he said.

 

He called it a 'very severe lesson of complacency' - the authorities had been confident that they had their prisoner 'sized up', but he had sized up his custodians in turn.

 

'But he had the custodian sized up, he had the custodian feeling comfortable that he can go to the toilet where there are no bars in the windows, and he got through. Very smart fellow. So we are dealing with a smart man.'

 

Mr Lee said that he was 'not so worried', as long as the fugitive had not made arrangements prior to his escape and was still in Singapore.

 

'He can't assemble an explosive in Singapore on his own, he can't get a team in Singapore, a JI team, to mount an attack. So we just keep the pressure on, make sure he doesn't get out of Singapore,' he added.

 

'If he's already got out of Singapore, we won't know. Police believe he hasn't got accomplices. It was not a prepared escape. Then he's hiding somewhere, either in the jungle eating berries or whatever, or somebody is giving him refuge.

 

'Keep him in Singapore and he can do not much harm because he needs explosives, needs to get a plan, mount it, get people to execute the plan and that is easier done in Indonesia than in Singapore.'

 

When Mas Selamat escaped a government dragnet in December 2001, 'he escaped into Malaysia then he went into Indonesia because Malaysia has got smaller land area and tighter controls', said Mr Lee.

 

'So if he can get into Indonesia, he has his old networks, then we have to watch out for a return hit sometime.'

 

While it is good for citizens to stay vigilant, Mr Lee believed that the key is to deduce what are Mas Selamat's options.

 

'Is he on his own, hiding in a culvert in the jungle? How does he get food? Or has he taken refuge with a friend's friend? Not the usual friends because he would know that all his friends would be covered,' he said.

 

'So he would have to get his friend to give him another friend who is not under surveillance, who nobody knows about, that ISD does not know about, and gives him cover.

 

'So we have to find out. It's a game of tracing the possibilities. I'm not a security expert, I'm not a detective...but we do have people who understand what we ought to be following. But we ought to keep the pressure up.'

 

http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/...34.html?vgnmr=1

Edited March 8, 2008 by Route88

[Route88]

What is your views

[Silver_blade]

He is the 1st of our leaders who give a decent comment on this incident. Shame that it took so long for someone from our gov to give an 'honest', 'insightful', etc comment.

 

I was expecting our home affair minister to hold a proper press conference to address it's mistake, steps taken/planning to correct it, etc....+ have a Q&A session a few days after the escape. It is after all a serious lapse and it affect our people and our 'good' reputation. But it was eerily quiet.

[Celicar]

Agree. So long already and Lee HL not so much as said a word about it, I cannot believe it. I'm so embarassed that my PM can come out wave and smile and throw his weight behind YOG bid, but this one he just hide 1 corner. PAP may have issued gag order to all party members, but I think as a PM, he certainly fell short.

 

As for Complacency Wong, I really want to see what his fate is. Pity MM no longer in charge, or I think he being the disciplinarian that he is, will make sure Complacency Wong get something.

[Route88]

Agreed

Person i/c of MHA

[Apollo]

got say like no say lor... no one talk abt responsibility commensurating with high pay.

[Qpik]

fm day 1 reports, can deduce no communication amongst the various agencies, public are not updated in a timely manner, info releases are contradictory. no one has stepped in to shoulder and accept responsibilities fm day 1. being such a small country, the resources deployed are on a huge scale and still we are not able to apprehend him?

 

so what if he step in now. JI's escape now blamed on complacency and on the custodians involved. if the custodians' trust are easily won over that would speak volumes abt how they are selected and trained in the first place. now i wonder whether our security top brass, do they hv field or book's exposure? despite all those trainings conducted, it only prove that our security are really lax and not as beef up as they had made it out to be.

 

time for the public to demand some heads to roll. downsize top brass remuneration's package. no more using state funds to buy big c.c vehicle to ferry them around. use the funds to send our security personnel for training overseas.

Edited March 8, 2008 by Qpik

[Silver_blade]

Actually, I was surprised that our HA minister didn't do better in damage control. I was half expected him to stood, tell the press that he will leave no stone un-turn and make sure that those responsible for the security lapse will be severely dealt with.

 

After some head will roll...why not make full use of it?

[Bern2]

Where the heck are the supposedly 'real' people in charge? Our PM, our MHA minister, Police Chief etc? Not a peep out of them. We have to rely on our aging MM to say something.... If Selamat really returns with a bang, do we have the right to say that Complacency Wrong (I mean Wong) is to blame for the deaths or injuries involved?

[Wanderer]

Up for his honesty!

 

But then it seems that he keeps "shooting" Indonesia.... Wonder what will be they reply to him, if any...

[Qpik]

well i truly hope some heads will roll but being typical spore administration, those heads that dropped will be those kachang puteh ones starting with the custodians.

 

they can demand all the high pay and increases even when economy are bad, yet, come to something like these, no brass come out and admit responsibilities. if someone had done that and implement contingency plans, i am sure public confidence will somewhat be restored in our govt administration.

 

now with mm come out and releasing such statement, it is worse. only prove our govt really got no gall to shoulder responsibilities. my confidence in our govt diminishes day by day.

[Route88]

Selamat is a dangerous man...he need not create explosive to bomb a place,as wat MM says he's a smart man.

[Qpik]

if there's any reply, it won't be nasty as they will still give him FACE cos we have given them alot of "monetary" help

[Qpik]

hmm...dun suppose he subscribe to the idea that to kill a snake, just "chop off it's head"

 

i tink now our security personnels would be busy protecting our "periodic table"

[Bern2]

I agree with you. But I wouldn't want to give him any new ideas.

[Bern2]

Unfortunately the critical morass has already been reached. Only a fission reaction will change anything.

[Qpik]

Matter of Timing

 

Just hope the Masses are not at the wrong place and the wrong time.

[Cheekg98]

why MM Lee didnt sack Wong KS ?