A Tour de Farce

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Monday, 21 April 2008

Singapore Democrats

First, the Government appoints former civil servants and even a subordinate of Mr Wong Kan Seng to conduct an inquiry into the escape of suspected terrorist Mr Mas Selamat.

The Committee of Inquiry, or COI, then takes more than a month to conduct its work in secrecy.

It then writes a report that Mr Wong, who is responsible for Mr Mas Selamt's escape in the first place, "agrees with and accepts."

The farce continues...

The COI finds that the limping detainee is able to climb through a toilet window in a maximum security facility, climb down a water pipe, run 20 metres, scale another building and jump over a perimeter fence – all in 49 seconds.

For good measure, it just so happens that no one was monitoring the – not one but two – surveillance cameras during the time of the escape.

In addition, no one was watching the detainee change out of his prison garb into his own clothes. In a regular prison, prisoners are made to change under the watchful eyes of the guards. In addition, every time a prisoner leaves the cell for yard, he needs to strip bare for inspection. Yet, all this was not done at the ISD Centre.

Straits Times' photo of the toilet cubicle from which Mas Selamat allegedly escaped

Straits Times' photo of the toilet cubicle from which Mas Selamat allegedly escaped

That's not all. A packet of seven toilet rolls were found. (Why would Mr Mas Selamat or his fellow JI detainees, being Malay Muslims, need toilet paper?)

Also, a close examination of the Straits Times photograph shows two urinals with no space for a latrine. Why would there be toilet paper in a cubicle without a latrine? And if there are only urinals, why would Mr Mas Selamat have to remove his trousers instead of just pulling it down like all males do when they urinate?

There doesn't even seem that there is a tap in the cubicle. How did the detainee turn on a non-existent tap and leave it running?

The toilet paper, the COI tells us, could have been used by the prisoner to break his fall as he jumped out of the window. The SDP is surprised that the COI didn't also report finding a ladder in the cubicle.

Let's put things together:

1. The guard neglects to watch the prisoner as he changes out of his prison clothes.

2. Toilet rolls were left in the toilet which has no latrine and the prisoners don't use them.

3. The guard sees the detainee "flipping" his trousers over the top of the door and doesn't find it strange, and hears tap water running when there doesn't seem to be a tap in the cubicle.

4. The prisoner knows exactly where to run to, scale a fence, climb a walkway and jump to freedom in less than one minute when he doesn't have a clue as to the surroundings.

5. Two cameras are either not working or no one paid any attention to them during the escape.

What are the odds of the above all coming together at the same imperfect moment to facilitate Mr Mas Selamat's escape? This Government must think that Singaporeans all just graduated from nursery school.

Let's get real. Even if it is to be believed that two of the surveillance cameras were not being monitored, surely there must have been the tapes. What did they show? Did the COI not look at these?

Even if these two cameras were not monitored, or working, at the time of escape, there are other cameras within the detention centre which will capture the movement of the security officers immediately after the alert went out. What did these show?

Did the COI question doctors and medical professionals who attended to Mr Mas Selamat? If no, why not? If yes, what were their reports of the prisoner just prior to his escape? When did they last observe the detainee? What was his physical condition then? Can the COI confirm that reports show that Mr Selamat was still alive on or before 27 Feb 08?

It is even more bizarre that through all this, there is not any press report about what the detainee's family think and feel. One would imagine that Mr Selamat's parents, siblings or spouse who have something to say especially now that he has disappeared under the most mysterious of circumstances. And yet, there is only silence. What about the foreign press? Have they been prevented to interview the family?

This COI report raises more questions than it gives answers. There is just so much farce that people can take. Now tell us the truth.

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Steven -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 9:53 am

What more do you want? Some heads have been rolled? Do the people of Singapore Democrats have no family at all. Nobody wanted such unfortunate things to happen but it did. Must well ask Minister Wong to appoint the SDP to chair the COI. For goodness sake, please give your fair comments to the security officers who have worked so hard to safeguard the security of Singapore.

Steven 2 -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:19 am

Well they want the ISD to be abolished. That's like removing M15 from the UK and the FBI from the USA. Singapore is safe without any security agency.

Steven 2 -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:20 am

By the way, suppose you know the truth, what will you do? protest? ok, sure. Economic outlook in any country is suppose to be rosy when there are protests? Right?

Steven 2 -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:24 am

Do you think anyone asked for the medical condition of the escaped prisoners when they launch investigations?

hamidi -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:56 am

For goodness sakes, Mr Steven. is it wrong for us to cross-examine the 'findings'? Are we going to be the type of people that will believe everything we hear? We will believe only if it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that the report is 100% true. We cannot settle for it being any lesser thn that. We are given brains to think. So use it. All we want is for any doubts to be cleared but so far, the reports raised more doubts than answer them. And we keep hearing that he is still in Singapore. Where's the evidence for that claim? until all our doubts are cleared, we can't help but think there are truths being hidden and there is more than meets the eye

X -	Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:01 am

Funny, I think the ISD were too concerned about 'family' when they incarcerated a guy for over 3 decades.

des -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:08 am

ditto. please be fair in your criticisms, SDP. I am a supporter of the opposition, but comments you guys make only shows how immature your accusations are. Toilet paper may be for other inmates of differing relgions. The mentioned tap may be a washing tap found near the ground level. It may not necessarily be a wash basin.

Sinister Minister -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:14 pm

Steven...
you are gullible.
this is not about the ISD, not about the economics, not about security, FBI or anything like that. what you are failing in so miserably in is the ability to think critically.

it's not your fault, you are a robot brought up in the pap's singapore and have no ability to question with reason. you are forgetting two things, logic and common sense. use your common sense and it will tell you logically that:

if you were mas and knowing you are planning to escape, why do it the day you are going to see your family for perhaps the very last time. me, i would want to see them one more time because i know if i escape my family will be under surveillance and i will never again be able to be with them.

since when do people throw toilet paper to break a fall. I promise you if you toss toilet paper out a window they will not land side by side.

at the very least, how did he scale the fence and go undetected.

you see steven at some point you have to question how do cameras always work whenever the government needs evidence and how does it seemingly not always work when evidence may not be in their favour?

this is like a report saying someone "fell" onto the tracks when we all know it was suicide, no falling but jumping. steven, how can you live in singapore and not know you are nothing more than a peasant, a digit, and need no truthful explanation because you steven do not matter.

whether you agree with sdp or dr. chee or not is up to you. however, have some common sense and some logic and you will know when government says fell onto track, it means jumped as in suicide. likewise, have some common sense to know that it is highly possible that there are those in power that think that singaporeans are just as gullible today as they were yesterday and will believe or settle for anything dished out. you do realize you are just a digit right?

it's been said by yew noh hu if an election is lost the army will come in, or things like i carry my own hatchet. surely the answer could not possibly be that you are thought of as an educated free thinking man? Or, perhaps you really are thought of that way which is why so much of your life needs to be controlled. maybe you are not supposed to know you are smart, you have rights, and you have a constitution. to me, the word peasant, or slave, or subject comes to mind but definitely not a population of men of will or strength or conviction.

my own belief is that mas is dead and his family was told and were paid off to keep their mouth shut about his death. as long as they are quiet, they get their money. this would explain why his family has not once said a single word.

tell me steven, if your son escaped from prison do you not think there would be one... at least one reporter wanting to talk to you. furthermore, have you ever even seen a report saying his family was not available for comment?

this is what happens when you are blinded steven. it's not about dr. chee, sdp, or anything else, it is about common sense and logic.

have i been harsh, perhaps. however you chose to voice your narrow view in the public arena of the world wide web where views are broad and endless.

so i ask you steven, what more do you want or do you need to wake up and enter the real world. hopefully this serves as a wake up call to you.
i do not wish to turn this topic into something found in sammyboy, therefore i will give you the last word steven... fire away

i don't mean to be rude, i'd just like for you to be able to see there is more than what you are told... it's for your benefit

Ayzkhai SocialistSGP - Committee of (DIFFICULTY)

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:53 pm

Credits to the committee for its effort in conducting an inquiry into the escape of suspected terrorist Mr Mas Selamat.
BUT the findings just add on to the list of question as to how Mas Selamat escape.The committee should be answerable to the public BECAUSE Mas Selamat is a threat to National Security as reported by the goverment.
I believe it is not the intention of SDP n Comrade CSJ to discredit COI effort and findings.I believe COI also had its own difficulty in carrying out its investigation.
The public must presure our goverment to reveal the TRUTH.It is no use arguing as to who is wrong or right.If the goverment is reluctant to give its full cooperation to reveal the TRUTH,then the responsiblity lies on Singaporeans to DEMAND and PRESSURE for the TRUTH.It may be 'painful' for our goverment to reveal the TRUTH BUT sooner or later it will be more painful to continue HIDING the TRUTH.
'You can KILL,
But U can't DESTROY.
U can RULED,
BUT U can be RUINED.

Life is Short,
Death is Near.
Lies are 'Great',
BUT E TRUTH is GREATER.

U RULE BY LAWS,
FLAWS FLAWS FLAWS.
RISE SINGAPORE
DEMAND!
RULE OF LAW.'

Daniel -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 1:11 pm

i think the comments are fair. The report does raise more questions than answers. Wong Kan Seng should acknowledge that this is his oversight and take full responsibility for the escape and tender his resignation. His position is fast becoming untenable.

mike Chan - Detention without trial indefinitely

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 1:36 pm

Mr Steven2, please don't pull wool over our eyes......the significant difference between S'pore (and Malaysia) AND UK and USA is that we solely have the Internal Security Act which empowers the PAP Govt to detain anyone suspected to be a subversive (includes political dissidents) INDEFINITELY (eg Mr Chia Thye Poh).
The M16 of UK as well as the CIA/FBI of USA do not have such draconian "legal" powers. They still use open trials at their Courts for even terrorists and other subversives (but never political dissidents!). SDP is not advocating the closure of ISD per se but the abolition of the IS Act which is principally about empowering the PAP Govt to detain anyone they deemed an enemy of the State (read "their enemy" like Mr Francis Seow) INDEFINITELY. Yes they can lock you up and throw away the key! Just ask Mr Chia Thye Poh a former PAP MP turned opposition if you don't believe me.Yes indeed, the ISAct is easily subject to misuse and abuse by those empowered with it....not unlike the detention of the 5 Hindraf Indians (including a duly elected MP) up north.

Extramask -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 2:50 pm

Steven:

What "MORE" do we want? By that, it seems to imply that the authorities have given us enough and have answered our questions, when in fact, NOTHING was revealed. Please do not expect anyone with an ounce of intelligence and common sense to believe the report.

I'm convinced the SDP will unearth some truth if they sit on the COI; much more than the nothingness that was revealed today at least.

They may have worked hard to preserve the security in SG, but with the kind of pay they're getting (at least those at the top are), can anyone expect any less?

Seriously, they took 2 MONTHS to come out with that? It is like although you've fallen into a bottomless pit, yet you are still frantically digging. I'm apalled.

What will people so with the truth? That's a tough one, as different people handle truth differently. Some don't want the truth, some paint their own version of the truth.

I don't know about others, but I'd be inclined to think that perhaps the self-proclaimed immensely talented who are leading SG are not what the mainstream media made them out to be, not that I ever believed it in the first place.

g_e -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 5:01 pm

Do pay attention, Steven_x.

If you buy this pitifully ridiculous story, by WKS's own admission the ISD has clearly demonstrated that it is not qualified to hold a piss-up in a brewery. And it is precisely because we have loved ones that we want these incompetents, including WKS, held accountable so that their very next cock-up will not result in potentially deadly consequences for our families. Is that too much to ask?

Ho ho ho! -

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 5:25 pm

To Steven 2! How do you know heads have been rolled? That is no name mention! They could have be their holiday in Maldives!

seebeng - Toilet paper for JI?

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 7:16 pm

Till yesterday, the PAP govt kept claiming that they only hold JI detainees at WRDC. Are there others under ISA that the govt has not told us who need to use toilet paper?

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