Wah, let a terrorist escape can actually be a GOOD thing! Help the people bond!
Maybe we should let a few more escape then. Once a year, have an Allow a Terrorist to Escape Day to facilitate national bonding.
From the Straits Times:
"S'poreans' response as 'one people' laudedTHE response by Singaporeans to Mas Selamat's escape from detention is a good example of how the community should respond in such a situation, said Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed yesterday.
He said people's reactions to the incident at the grassroots-level Inter-Religious Confidence Circles (IRCCs) have been the same, regardless of race, and that it is good the community is taking the matter as seriously as the Government.
'It shows we are responding as one people and in times of need, we are there to help Singapore, which is reassuring,' he said."
Even Finance Minister Tharman weighed in:
"S’poreans showing united front in efforts to capture Mas SelamatSINGAPORE: Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said Singaporeans are displaying a united front in efforts to capture Mas Selamat Kastari.
Speaking to Channel NewsAsia at a community event on Saturday, Mr Tharman said he is also heartened that the Malay—Muslim community is taking a lead in this search.
He said: "From the initial reactions, Singaporeans are confident that Mas Selamat will be found, but more importantly this is an opportunity where Singaporeans are coming together, reassuring each other and also reassuring the Malay—Muslim community who have themselves taken the lead.
"What you read on the Internet is sometimes different from what you observe on the ground. They’re calm, they’re alert, but no one is giving anyone a cold shoulder.""
By the way, the Limping Terrorist is not really a limper. Limper ka lee gong, Mas Selamat's limp is only visible when he runs. Police Assistant Commissioner Wong Hong Kuan helpfully clarified that "Mas Selamat's limp in his left leg is evident only when he walks briskly or runs. Otherwise, he has the normal gait of any man."
Now then come and tell us. Wah lau eh. Ok change of plans, united Singaporeans! Watch out for a sometimes-limping terrorist.
Meanwhile, an interesting poll sprang up on STOMP, entitled, "Who should resign over the terrorist escape issue?" spotted by blogger "Life at Anchorvale". At the time of that blog entry, the results were:
Chief Of Police: 14.39%Wong Kan Seng (Minister Of Home Affairs) : 16.55%
Both should resign: 69.06%
Sorry if you want to vote on this poll though, because the poll has just been removed from STOMP (the link now points to an invalid thread).
You know, I doubt if Singaporeans are giving anybody a cold shoulder. We just want our questions answered. No, we don't need to know stuff like "Manhunt continues" and "Manhunt still continuing" and "Community feels lovey-dovey and bands together".
The questions on most people's lips are:
1. HOW in the hell did he escape?
2. Was it an inside job?
3. Who is going to take responsibility for this screw-up?
Cherian George thinks the bunker mentality is not helping the government or the mainstream media's credibility. I think Cherian is being kind.
It took a minute for Mas Selamat to escape. We don't need a whole month for an "independent" board of inquiry to reveal how he did it, do we?
After all, it only took days to pull out CCTV footage of James Gomez at the election department.
