Wah Singapore very safe! - so say Uncle Wong

In an interesting local news today, I came to realise that Singapore might not be so safe anymore. Why so?

In the tiny island of Singapore known to be of low crime, we actually managed to let a JI detainee escape while being escorted to meet his family. Online version here.

Root cause as mentioned by our Home Affairs minister:

Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng has cited a lapse in security at the Whitley Detention Centre on Wednesday as the cause for the escape of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) member Mas Selamat Kastari.

This should have never have happened. I am sorry that it has," said Mr Wong in an update to the House, adding that an independent investigation is underway.

The Home Affairs Minister went on to say that security at the centre has been stepped up and there should not be any speculation on what and how the escape happened.

Okay I believe they have done their FMEA and preventive measures by now, so hush hush let's not mention about this screw up anymore.One time only! Forgive and forget lar..Singaporeans sure can forget one..

Now come the interesting part:

Mr Wong described Mas Selamat as a security threat, which is why he was placed under preventive detention. But he added that officials are not taking any chances even though there is no information that Mas Selamat has any plans that threaten public security.

1) Mas Selamat is a threat.
2) Our officials have no information of his plans - Wah he bombing or not, we also don't know

Now the key moment of truth why we are no longer safe...as mentioned by Mr Wong in the news:
(Basically all my friends have pointed this out as well)

the security assessment was that the escape posed no imminent danger to the public.

A few points to ponder:

1) Is he or is he not a threat?
2) Did they mean by not informing the public for 4 hours, there is no imminent danger, as in hopefully they will catch him in the 4 hours? And we only know about it 4 hours later or to many of us, a day later, because they have lost him, no way of covering tracks? The police has lost a man whom they have no idea of what he is plotting on.
3) An by saying no imminent aka impending danger - has our officials decided for us how safe we really are?


In other ridiculous news today shared by an overseas friend. This is what I call taking security too far.

Briton jailed for four years in Dubai after customs find cannabis weighing less than a grain of sugar under his shoe

Either he offended someone pretty bad..or he has a damn BIG shoe!

Maybe we live in a communist world where the seriousness of a crime or the safety of the public is dictated/determined by the government.