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PERMISSION TO MEMBERS TO BE ABSENT Under the provisions of clause 2(d) of Article 46 of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore, the following Members have been granted permission to be or to remain absent from sittings of Parliament (or any Committee of Parliament to which they have been appointed) for the periods stated: Name From (2010) To (2010) Mr Teo Ser Luck 18 Sep 20 Sep 28 Sep 30 Sep 12 Oct 14 Oct Assoc. Prof. Paulin Tay Straughan 19 Sep 25 Sep Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong 25 Sep 01 Oct 16 Oct 26 Oct Mr Laurence Wee Yoke Thong 28 Sep 03 Oct Assoc. Prof. Koo Tsai Kee 29 Sep 02 Oct Mr Cedric Foo Chee Keng 30 Sep 06 Oct 07 Oct 07 Oct 25 Oct 04 Nov Mr Zainudin Nordin 30 Sep 01 Oct 16 Oct 17 Oct 21 Oct 23 Oct 24 Oct 29 Oct Mr Lee Yi Shyan 01 Oct 04 Oct 06 Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 22 Oct 24 Oct 27 Oct Mrs Lim Hwee Hua 01 Oct 05 Oct 18 Oct 18 Oct 26 Oct 29 Oct Mr Wee Siew Kim 01 Oct 01 Oct 05 Oct 06 Oct 11 Oct 11 Oct 13 Oct 15 Oct 19 Oct 20 Oct 24 Oct 30 Oct Column: 1305 Mr Wee Siew Kim 03 Nov 05 Nov 09 Nov 09 Nov 16 Nov 17 Nov 19 Nov 21 Nov 23 Nov 26 Nov 28 Nov 30 Nov Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed 01 Oct 03 Oct 17 Oct 03 Nov 05 Nov 07 Nov Mr Lee Hsien Loong 02 Oct 06 Oct 27 Oct 30 Oct Dr Lim Wee Kiak 02 Oct 08 Oct 29 Oct 03 Nov RAdm [NS] Lui Tuck Yew 04 Oct 07 Oct Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M 04 Oct 08 Oct 17 Oct 20 Oct 23 Oct 31 Oct 01 Nov 05 Nov Mr S Iswaran 04 Oct 07 Oct Mr Chan Soo Sen 05 Oct 07 Oct 18 Oct 23 Oct Mr Baey Yam Keng 07 Oct 10 Oct Mr Heng Chee How 07 Oct 08 Oct 15 Oct 17 Oct 20 Oct 21 Oct Mr K Shanmugam 07 Oct 22 Oct Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam 07 Oct 13 Oct Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien 08 Oct 10 Oct Dr Teo Ho Pin 09 Oct 11 Oct 14 Oct 20 Oct Dr Vivian Balakrishnan 09 Oct 11 Oct Mr Inderjit Singh 10 Oct 14 Oct 03 Nov 09 Nov 14 Nov 20 Nov 25 Nov 10 Dec Mr Khaw Boon Wan 10 Oct 13 Oct 19 Oct 22 Oct Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat 10 Oct 13 Oct Mr Teo Chee Hean 10 Oct 14 Oct Dr Ahmad Mohd Magad 12 Oct 16 Oct 19 Oct 21 Oct 28 Oct 29 Oct Mr Alvin Yeo 12 Oct 15 Oct 19 Oct 21 Oct Assoc. Prof. Dr Yaacob Ibrahim 12 Oct 17 Oct Column: 1306 Mr Charles Chong 13 Oct 16 Oct 19 Oct 21 Oct Mr Michael Palmer 14 Oct 17 Oct Mr Abdullah Tarmugi 15 Oct 17 Oct Mr Lim Swee Say 15 Oct 17 Oct Mr Mah Bow Tan 15 Oct 17 Oct 26 Oct 30 Oct Mr Hawazi Daipi 16 Oct 25 Oct Mr Yeo Guat Kwang 16 Oct 18 Oct 27 Oct 30 Oct Dr Ng Eng Hen 17 Oct 22 Oct Mr Chiam See Tong 18 Oct 22 Oct Mr Lee Kuan Yew 18 Oct 18 Oct Mr Teo Siong Seng 18 Oct 18 Oct Mr Zaqy Mohamad 18 Oct 20 Oct Mr Calvin Cheng 19 Oct 28 Oct Mr Lim Hng Kiang 19 Oct 21 Oct 27 Oct 01 Nov Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman 22 Oct 26 Oct 31 Oct 04 Nov Ms Ellen Lee 24 Oct 30 Oct Mrs Josephine Teo 24 Oct 30 Oct 19 Nov 20 Nov Mr Lim Boon Heng 24 Oct 28 Oct Mr George Yong-Boon Yeo 26 Oct 30 Oct Mr Sin Boon Ann 26 Oct 04 Nov Mr Seng Han Thong 30 Oct 31 Oct Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan 31 Oct 04 Nov Mdm Cynthia Phua 10 Dec 23 Dec Dr Ong Seh Hong 13 Dec 25 Dec
PERMISSION TO MEMBERS TO BE ABSENT ABDULLAH TARMUGI Speaker Parliament of Singapore
ASSENTS TO BILLS PASSED The following Bills were assented to by the President of the Republic of Singapore on the date stated:
ASSENTS TO BILLS PASSED 22nd September,2010 (1) Property Tax (Amendment) Bill 1st October,2010 (1) National Productivity Fund Bill (2) International Child Abduction Bill (3) Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill (4) Estate Agents Bill
ASSENTS TO BILLS PASSED ABDULLAH TARMUGI Speaker Parliament of Singapore
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Order. On behalf of the House, I would like to place on record the demise of Dr Balaji Sadasivan, former Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Member for Ang Mo Kio GRC, on 27th September 2010.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Dr Balaji was elected as a Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC on 25th October 2001 and served the constituency for nearly nine years. During this period, he held office first as Minister of State in the Ministries of the Environment, Health and Transport from 2001 to 2004. In August 2004, he was appointed Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts and for Health. In May 2006, he relinquished his portfolio for Health and became the Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs along with his concurrent appointment to the Ministry of Information, Communications
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker and the Arts. From April 2008 till his death, he was the Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Dr Balaji was an unassuming Member and colleague. He will be remembered for his humility and sincerity to serve the House and the people of Singapore. Despite his failing health in the last two years, he continued to discharge his duties in the best interest of the nation and was steadfast in the service of his fellow men.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker On behalf of this House, I express with great sadness and a deep sense of loss at the passing of Dr Balaji Sadasivan and extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of the late Member.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Mr Speaker, Sir, I rise to pay tribute to Dr Balaji Sadasivan who passed away three weeks ago.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Dr Balaji distinguished himself in many ways – as a Member of Parliament, representing the people of Cheng San Division in Ang Mo Kio GRC, an office-holder appointed to many different portfolios, a dedicated and accomplished neurosurgeon before he entered public office and a learned intellectual and caring family man.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Dr Balaji, the Member of Parliament, served his constituents well, right till the end. I asked Mr Inderjit Singh, his fellow GRC MP in Ang Mo Kio who worked closely with him and knew him well. Despite his illness, he made it a point to attend most grassroots functions.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker At the last major event – Cheng San's 30th anniversary celebrations in August – he was there for the whole event and dinner. Those who were there knew he was in pain but he never let that dampen the mood of the celebrations.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker In April this year, he called his fellow GRC MPs for help to cover his Meet-the-People Session (MPS) as he was starting a new round of chemotherapy. After half an hour, to everyone's surprise, he called to say he was coming to conduct the MPS himself. This, after a difficult chemotherapy session.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker The last time most of us saw Dr Balaji was when he came to Parliament on 15th September 2010. He was here to see the Prime Minister to discuss plans to cover Cheng San. He explained that he had little time left and worried about how his residents would be supported in his absence.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Even at this late hour of his life, he still put his residents before himself. On that day, Dr Balaji also celebrated Minister Mentor's birthday together with other Members. Little did many of us realise that that would be the last time he would set foot in Parliament.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Dr Balaji, the office-holder, served many Ministries in his nine years in Government – Health, Environment, Transport, Information, Communications and the Arts and, finally, Foreign Affairs. He applied his mind and dedicated himself diligently to all his responsibilities.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker He was an invaluable member of the SARS task force which tackled the crisis when we were hit by SARS in 2003. He helped to explain to the international community how Singapore was dealing with the disease, especially some of the difficult decisions we had to make.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker I recall being with him in Switzerland to address the Saint Gallen Symposium on how Singapore responded to the threat of SARS. Recently, I received a note from the Saint Gallen Foundation for International Studies, conveying their condolences. Allow me to read an extract
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker from this note: "We still have strong memories of Dr Balaji's most vibrant lecture 'Successfully fighting SARS'. He was a highly distinguished person whom we greatly admired." He had obviously made an impact on the international faculty and audience.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Dr Balaji also played a major role in efforts to prevent and control the spread of HIV in Singapore. It was a cause he was deeply passionate about. He took bold steps, many in the face of criticism. He engaged the gay community to win their support for the things he wanted to do. He was convinced that he was doing the right thing and, patiently and calmly, did it.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Finally, Dr Balaji, the man. Highly intelligent, witty, selfless, humble, caring, courageous. These words and more have been used by those who knew him best. I recall every time I talked to him, the conversation was never dull. His thoughts ranged far and wide and took you to many new fields of knowledge. Recently, we were in Beijing together for an official meeting. The car journeys were long as the traffic was heavy but they were never boring. We discussed everything from contemporary Chinese politics to ancient Chinese history, from Chinese opera to modern Chinese architecture. He did most of the talking.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Dr Balaji was a good and loyal friend to those who knew him. They in turn cherished his friendship. His medical classmates have set up a fund – the Balaji Sadasivan Fund for medical undergraduates – to honour his memory. They have also set up a blog in remembrance of him.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker We know from the touching eulogy of his son Dharma what a loving family man he was, his sense of humour, his strength in the face of adversity, his courage in facing up to his illness, and his care and concern for his family in preparing them for life without him.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker Sir, we have lost a dear friend and colleague, and an outstanding Singaporean. On behalf of this House, I wish to express our deepest condolences to the family of the late Dr Balaji Sadasivan – to his wife Swan Hoo, his son Dharma and his daughter Anita. I wish to acknowledge the presence of his family and relatives in the House today.
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker As a mark of respect to the late Dr Balaji Sadasivan, I propose that the House observe a one-minute silence. Will Members please rise?
TRIBUTES - TRIBUTE TO DR BALAJI SADASIVAN - Announcement by Mr Speaker [The House rose and observed a one-minute silence.]
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Mr Christopher de Souza asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether Mas Selamat Kastari has revealed how he escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre (WRDC); (b) if so, whether his account is consistent with the findings of the Committee of Inquiry; and (c) if he has also revealed how he managed to leave Singapore and make his way to Malaysia.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Sir, on 21st April 2008, I had given this House a detailed account of the findings of the Committee of Inquiry (COI) that was convened to establish, based on the facts available then, how Mas Selamat Kastari escaped from the Whitley Road Detention Centre (WRDC) on 27th February 2008.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Mas Selamat is now back in our custody. He was handed over to ISD by the Malaysian Special Task Force (STF) on 24th September 2010. He was then arrested by ISD under the ISA and an
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Order of Detention for two years has just been issued against him.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention There are two primary issues which investigators in this case are pursuing at present. A team of investigators from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been assigned to question Mas Selamat on his escape from the WRDC. Another team of investigators and analysts from ISD is investigating the case from a security or counter-terrorism angle. This includes both determining the terrorist attack plans that had surfaced in investigations by the Malaysian security agencies and identifying the residual elements of the JI network, whether Singaporeans or others, with whom Mas Selamat had made contact and sought to regroup and collaborate to develop such plans. The CID and ISD teams work in parallel but keep each other apprised of key disclosures or discoveries.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Although the investigations into Mas Selamat's escape from WRDC in 2008 are continuing, to date what Mas Selamat has disclosed has not been very much more than what he has revealed to the Malaysian authorities. This version of his escape from the WRDC is essentially consistent with the findings of the COI which have been reported and made public.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Mas Selamat revealed to investigators that he had observed that there was renovation work going on in the WRDC. There was indeed significant renovation work going on at the WRDC at the time. The renovation work was done in order to enhance old facilities to accommodate and manage the detainees. Mas Selamat also revealed that when he was brought to use a toilet in a renovated and different block from the regular one used in the past for family visits, he noticed that the window to one of the toilet cubicles was not grilled. Members can see the photo displayed on the screens [Photo A1* displayed]. On his second visit to the
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention toilet, he managed to open the window of this toilet cubicle by turning the lever even though the handle had been sawn off, as Members can see on the screens [Photo A2* displayed].
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Noting this critical security weakness, he then actively planned to escape. He began a routine to close the door of that toilet cubicle and turn on the tap in the cubicle on his next visits. He was trying to get the guards used to this routine during his family visits. He also started hanging his pants over the top of the cubicle door, so as to deceive the guards into thinking that if his pants were still hanging over the top of the door, he was still inside the cubicle.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention He planned his escape during his family visit on 27th February 2008. On that day, when he was brought out of his cell to a changing room to change into civilian clothes in preparation for his weekly family visit, he did not take off his WRDC uniform but instead put on another two layers of civilian clothing over the uniform – he first put on a dark green baju kurung and dark blue pants, and then a light green baju kurung and grey pants. He claimed that he had put on three layers of clothing.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Mas Selamat was then brought by two Gurkha guards to the Family Visitation Block. He was first taken to the toilet before seeing his family. He went into the specific toilet cubicle which he knew had the unsecured ventilation window. One guard went into the toilet with him and waited outside the cubicle. Another guard waited outside the toilet. Mas Selamat then went through his routine of closing the cubicle door, hanging a pair of pants over the top of the cubicle door, and turning on the tap. He then pushed open the unsecured window and climbed out of the toilet cubicle window, as in the photo displayed on the screens [Photo A3*
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention displayed]. He said that he threw two packets of toilet rolls that were in the cubicle out of the window to cushion his landing.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention When he was standing outside the toilet, he observed that the fences to the left and in front of him were too high to scale. He made his way to the right hand side and came to a slope where two fences met. Members can see the photo [Photo A4* displayed]. One of the fences had a roof next to it; he climbed the fence and threw one of the packets of toilet rolls onto the roof, before climbing onto the roof. He made his way to the edge of the roof and threw the bag of toilet rolls onto the grass on the external side of the fence to cushion his landing, then jumped off the roof over the fence and landed on the grass outside of the WRDC. Having escaped from the WRDC, he headed into the forested area. Mas Selamat said that while he was in the forested area, he took off the light green baju kurung and threw it on the ground, as the guards had seen him in that garb and he did not want to be recognised or detected.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention These disclosures were generally consistent with the findings of the COI which enquired into how Mas Selamat escaped from the WRDC. As to how he eventually escaped from Singapore to Malaysia, this is something which the current investigations are looking into. In this connection, Mas Selamat has not given a completely reliable account of how he evaded detection while a manhunt was launched to find him and how he made his way to Malaysia. As this is the part of his escape which is still under active investigation, I am not able to share any details at this stage other than to say that the investigators are not closing any option. The CID and ISD investigators are not taking anything for granted in this case. They will keep an open mind and persist.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Sir, when Mas Selamat escaped, ISD officers never gave up and did not rest until they managed to track him down to where he was hiding in Malaysia. Likewise, I am confident that our officers will continue to persevere in what has been a difficult and challenging investigation. Underestimating Mas Selamat and the resilience of JI sympathisers and elements would be most dangerous folly. Indeed, it is people like Mas Selamat who underscore how persistently real the threat of terrorism continues to be for Singapore and Singaporeans.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention *Cols. 1435-1436; 1437-1438; 1439-1440; 1441-1442.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Thank you, Deputy Prime Minister for confirming that the manner which he escaped from WRDC is largely consistent with the COI findings. I would like to ask supplementary questions on MHA's assessment of his threat level to Singapore presently. Now that Mas Selamat has been detained, is the terrorism threat lower and is Singapore safer for it? Secondly, is there a greater threat, for example, a revenge attack posed by his network outside of WRDC? Thirdly, I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister what is MHA's present assessment of Mas Selamat's threat level to Singapore and how does this compare with MHA's assessment before his escape from WRDC?
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention I thank Mr Christopher de Souza for asking those questions. In our assessment, the threat posed by Mas Selamat remains consistent following the operation against the JI in 2001. Mas Selamat was determined to retaliate and plan attacks against Singapore even while he was on the run. Having been trained in Afghanistan, he has the operational competencies to stage a terrorist attack, if given time and opportunity. His determination to do so remains unchanged. This is why Mas Selamat has to be held in preventive detention.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Is the threat lower now and is Singapore safer now? Sir, holding Mas Selamat in preventive detention means that there is just one threat less. But there are others out there in the region, in Indonesia, for example. The Indonesian security forces have, over the years, killed major terrorist figures, like Azahari Husin, Noordin Mohammad Top and Dulmatin. But this has not put a stop to terrorism-related activities there. The ongoing counter-terrorism operations in Indonesia bear this out.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Sir, Singapore's security cannot be divorced from the security situation in our region and beyond. We are an open economy and society. The reality is that the current terrorist threat has proven to be a resilient one. Terrorist elements have adapted and evolved their organisation and network even as the security actions by the States are stepped up against them. So the threat remains real and significant.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention What about the threat of his network? Sir, with Mas Selamat in custody, as I said earlier, there is just one person less in the leadership element circulating in the network. But Singapore has been and will continue to remain a target in the eyes of the terrorist network. The continuing discoveries of new plots and the disruptions by the security forces in the region tell us that the terrorist network is very much alive and resilient. The threats posed by the network therefore remains real and significant.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Mr Speaker, I would like some clarifications from the Minister on the details of his escape. While I accept the investigations are not complete, have the authorities determined whether Mas Selamat was aided by others in his escape? If so, how was he able to communicate with them while in detention?
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Sir, as I said earlier, the investigators are keeping an open mind and they will pursue all angles. But the investigations are indeed still ongoing and not complete. As such, I am not able to comment further on whether he was aided in any way by anyone in this escape. Even during the investigation into his escape in 2008, the investigators did not rule out the possibility that Mas Selamat could have received help from inside or outside the WRDC. But at this stage, it is premature for us to jump to conclusions.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Sir, I would like to ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether Mas Selamat is likely to escape again. Secondly, what has ISD learnt from the last episode of this escape?
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Mr Low asked whether Mas Selamat is likely to escape again. As I said, after the COI had completed its findings and which I reported in this House, that the COI made many recommendations, including enhancing the security of WRDC. Over the last two years, this is what the WRDC has done. The ISD has taken a great interest and definitely has looked into the various possibilities that any detainee, not just Mas Selamat, could escape from the WRDC.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Besides the tighter procedural measures that were immediately implemented after the escape, significant physical security works were also carried out to address the key infrastructural weaknesses that directly contributed to the escape. So the weaknesses that I have just told Members about and which the COI found in 2008 – all those weaknesses have been resolved and they have been tightened. The protection of WRDC has also been strengthened. Both the security procedures as well as infrastructural measures have been audited by the Prisons Department. That was what the COI had also
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention recommended after the findings in March 2008. There are also annual inspections by the Prisons Department. A revised regime for detainees has also been implemented. The detainees are now classified into three different risk categories, depending on the level of risk that they pose. Based on the categories of risk set by ISD, detainees are given different privileges and security assessment.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Mas Selamat is now placed on the highest category, which is the red category. Being a red category detainee, his movement will be closely observed and he is heavily shackled whenever he needs to be moved out of the cell. For him, we have a larger Gurkha guard escort team to ensure that whatever acts that he plans to have will not succeed. At the same time, as recommended by the COI, ISD has also planned to have a new purpose-built detention centre in the Changi Prison. The planning is now ongoing and we hope to complete the centre in four to five years' time.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Thank you, Deputy Prime Minister for giving us the assessment of the threat level of Mas Selamat. I would like to ask supplementary questions in relation to his escape to Malaysia. How was Mas Selamat able to leave Singapore when security had been tightened at the border controls, such as the Customs? If investigations are still ongoing, would the Deputy Prime Minister disclose to the House how he managed to get across to Malaysia when investigations are in fact concluded?
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Sir, I will answer the second question first. Yes, we intend to share our findings when the investigations can conclusively determine how he had escaped to Malaysia and if it does not comprise our operational security. At this stage, I am not able to say when the investigation will complete. The duration will be determined by several
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention factors, including how cooperative Mas Selamat is and the veracity of his disclosures.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Sir, as to the question of how Mas Selamat could have escaped to Malaysia, this is a matter still being investigated by the ISD as well as by CID. But we know that after his escape, we have deployed all available resources to check the various parts of Singapore, including our coast lines as well as the exit and entry points into Singapore. We have also received help from the SAF. But as we know, Singapore is an island. It is not possible to seal off every entry or exit point, whether these are ICA checkpoints or our shores. As we have seen from the examples of illegal immigrants who have managed to enter or leave Singapore and whom we have detected and arrested, it is quite possible that people could also leave or enter Singapore undetected.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention Just within the last one week, the Police and ICA have managed to detect quite a few cases of illegal immigrants trying to come into Singapore. There were two cases of illegal immigrants trying to swim into Singapore. They are separate cases. There was also a case of two illegal immigrants hiding in a car boot, trying to leave Singapore.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - MAS SELAMAT KASTARI - Account of escape from detention There was also a case of a speed boat coming in from Malaysia and trying to offload a few illegal immigrants. Fortunately, in these few cases, the Police Coast Guard (PCG) as well ICA detected them and arrested the illegal immigrants. But, as I said, there are so many other possibilities that they could come in and there could also be many possibilities that we could have missed and they have entered or left Singapore.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS 2. Mdm Halimah Yacob asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs (a) if he will give an update on the Memorandum of
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS Understanding between Singapore and Malaysia; (b) what plans are being considered for the historic Tanjong Pagar site and the land along the railway tracks; (c) what are the plans to develop a rapid transit link between Singapore and southern Malaysia to be operational by 2018; and (d) what joint iconic project is being considered and whether such a project will accelerate the rate of investments and joint ventures between Singapore and Iskandar Malaysia.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS Mr Speaker, Sir, let me first clarify that the two countries did not sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). A Joint Statement was issued after the Prime Ministers of Singapore and Malaysia met at their Retreat on 24th May this year. The Joint Statement reflected their agreement on, among other things, the relocation of the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) railway station from Tanjong Pagar to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint by 1st July 2011 pursuant to the Points of Agreement on Malayan Railway Lands in Singapore, or what we call the POA, signed in 1990, and subject to agreement on the land swap issue.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS Prime Minister Lee visited Malaysia on 22nd June 2010 to discuss the land swap issue with Prime Minister Najib and conveyed Singapore's offer on the land swap. Following the same meeting, Prime Minister Lee sent a revised land swap offer to Prime Minister Najib on 28th June 2010. Prime Minister Najib accepted the offer on 17th September 2010 and Prime Minister Lee replied on 19th September 2010 confirming his agreement. The Prime Ministers met again in Singapore on 20th September 2010 as a follow-up to their earlier meetings, and have agreed on the following:
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS The Singapore Government shall vest four land parcels in Marina South and two land parcels in Ophir-Rochor in a joint
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS venture company called M-S Private Limited, for joint development when KTMB vacates the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station (TPRS) and relocates the railway station to Woodlands. KTMB will vacate Tanjong Pagar by 1st July next year. M-S Pte Ltd will be 60% held by Khazanah Nasional Berhad of Malaysia and 40% held by Temasek Holdings (Pte) Ltd of Singapore. The Marina South and Ophir-Rochor land parcels are in lieu of the three parcels of land in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands mentioned in the POA and three additional pieces of land in Bukit Timah previously offered by Singapore.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS The land swap between the Marina South and Ophir-Rochor land parcels, on the one hand, and the three POA land parcels and three Bukit Timah land parcels, on the other hand, is done on an equivalent value basis using the value of the three POA land parcels and three Bukit Timah land parcels based on their maximum development potential. Development charges therefore have to be paid on the three POA land parcels and the three Bukit Timah land parcels to realise their value based on maximum development potential for the purposes of the land swap. Malaysia agrees that development charges are payable for the three Bukit Timah land parcels but holds a different view from Singapore relating to the development charges payable on the three POA land parcels. Both Leaders have agreed to settle this issue amicably through arbitration under the auspices of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. They have further agreed to accept the arbitration award as final and binding. Both Leaders also agreed that the arbitration will proceed on its own track, and shall not affect the implementation of the POA and the other bilateral initiatives agreed in the Joint Statement of 24th May 2010, which shall continue to be implemented.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS The details of the relocation of the railway station and other implementation issues are being sorted out by the Joint Implementation Team co-chaired by the Secretary General of Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Secretary of Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Joint Implementation Team shall conclude their discussion on the details of the implementation of the 24th May Joint Statement by 31st December this year, by the end of this year.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS After KTMB relocates its station to Woodlands Train Checkpoint by 1st July next year, the railway station building in Tanjong Pagar will be conserved and will serve as the centrepiece for any future development on the site. It was also agreed that the old Bukit Timah railway station building at Blackmore Drive can be conserved as well. The rest of the land along the railway tracks will be incorporated into the future development plans of the surrounding areas to meet Singapore's development needs.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS The two Prime Ministers also committed to the joint development of a rapid transit system (RTS) link between Singapore and Tanjung Puteri in Johor Bahru, targeted to be completed by 2018. As this will be a major infrastructure project, both sides are currently discussing the details of implementing the RTS link. This includes looking at factors such as connectivity with both the Singapore and Johor Bahru public transport networks.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS In addition, to improve the existing connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore, the two governments agreed to lower toll charges for the Second Link by 30% on both sides and, in fact, the revised toll rates have been implemented with effect from 1st August this year.
ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS - LAND SWAP AGREEMENT FOR KTM STATION AND RAILWAY LANDS On the Iskandar Malaysia (IM) iconic project, the two Prime Ministers agreed that Khazanah and Temasek will form a