Now, you might think Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world…but this entire week, local police have been trying to locate this Jemaah Islamiah (JI) fugitive Mas Selamat Kastari who has escaped from Whitley detention centre.
Police have seemingly tried all they can..daily news reports, posters all over the country, some members of the public has even offered rewards should this person be found… It’s just amazing, the amount of publicity this person has received. I couldn’t not write about him here…He’s just too big a character now.. I was amazed when i received an email from the police about him in my ‘localinternetprovider’ email account…
When I first saw a notice about him at the Malaysia Customs checkpoint at Tuas, I had thought it wasn’t as serious….but over the next few days…. i realised it was a HUGE islandwide search operation…. Other than posters and emails, most of us even received text messages from the local police – - – thanks to technology, they’re able to forward information to the public, creating an awareness which I think all Singaporeans should not ignore, thinking that Singapore is a safe place… Generally it seems, Singaporeans are very supportive. It was reported that since the escape last wed at 4.05 pm, police have received more than 600 calls to 999 and over 170 emails about the case.
Police believe Mas Selamat is still in Singapore. Police are now reaching out to residents of private housing estates at the fringe of forested areas where Selamat might hide. Police believe that he might go to find clothes and money and food if he emerges from the woods. The public should definitely be cautious….as Mas Selamat could resort to stealing from the public to get by, as on his run, he’ll definitely need clothes, food and other essentials.
The Malaysia police chief said there was no information that the JI terrorist is in Malaysia. He added that photographs and details of the suspect has been distributed to all agencies at the entry and exit points including the checkpoints, immigration and quarantine complex in Johor Bahru.
So it’s not just an islandwide search, the search has been extended abroad and I believe, soon, Mas Selamat would almost be a big ‘celebrity’ in most parts of asia.
Where is he now? could he have swam the seas to indonesia where he seems to be very familiar with the place when he used to hold JI meetings there? Or could he be just around our neighbourhood?
If you read this notice, Please be vigilant…for yourself and for the country. If you’re overseas reading this, please help to spread the news… Mas Selamat is not known to be armed, but is highly dangerous.
Lesson to learn…don’t ever take for granted that we live in a safe country… I’m very proud to be Singaporean and it surprise me such a thing could happen here, in this tiny country….but we cannot be ignorant and think the police will solve this. As good citizens, we need to learn to be prepared for danger in times of peace, then we can all be resilient to potential terrorist threats. If this is going to turn the country upside down, then i think we’re a failure, which I hope not.
Be on high alert everybody… Mas Selamat is known to walk fast or run with a limp…
Read this report : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/331968/1/.html
—– Terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna who has researched extensively on the JI gives his views.