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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
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