JI leader escapes while on way to (the toilet) meet his family

Perhaps the main stream media should put up a headline, " JI leader escapes while on way to ...TOILET!"

It gets more embarrassing by the minute
I don't know about you but when I was doing guard duty as a full-time national serviceman in a combat unit of the Singapore Armed Forces, I was tasked as part of my guard duties to escort visitors who visited the camp to make sure they reached the office or whichever meeting venue they were supposed to go. This was the standard protocol for visitors. Nowadays because there are many civilian contractors and NSmen who need to visit camps to settle their admin and buy army supplies from eMart, security would not have been as tight as during my days.

But it is very unfortunate to see that Mas Selamat Kastari was able to slip out while being escorted to the visitation room but was managed to evade custody while making a detour to the toilet. The DPM's explanation only makes it worst as it clearly shows the incompetence and lax attitude to physical security.

More questions are raised by his disclosure and apology:

• Was Kastari escorted from his cell to the visitation room?
• Was he escorted on the way to and in the toilet?
• How was he able to escape from the toilet?
• How did he escape the fence or perimeter security?
• Did he just walk out by himself or was he aided?

These are very serious questions especially if he was aided since ostensibly he walks with a limp and perhaps the ISD has severely under-estimated terrorists who have a slight physical disability.

I have visited Changi Prison before doing volunteer work and can see how good physical security is enforced. Given the amount of expertise residing in the Singapore Prison Service which is an agency in the Home Team, I am surprised that ISD didn't consult their Prison Service colleagues on how to better improve physical security for terrorist detainees?

The DPM can urge the public not to speculate about how he escaped but really as a tax payer and more importantly, a Singapore citizen, I am well within my rights to ask HOW and WHY did this happen?

I have participated actively in the defence of the country like any able-bodied male citizen. 2.5 years of full-time servitude to State through the SAF. 10 years of annual reservist in-camp trainings, IPPTs, recall manning etc. I even participated in two tours during my reservist in guarding vital installations in Singapore.

It's sad that for all the billions we spend on the infrastructure, the manpower and the ministerial salaries, we cannot do one thing that is to keep a terrorist detainee in safe custody by having at least one pair of eyes watching him.

Majullah Singapura.