Terrorist escapes in Singapore

[concept|infinit]

What happened to the coast guard and the security forces stationed at the coast line ?? They are supposed to watch out for Mas Selamat to prevent him from swiming across !!

I dont think most Singaporeans and Malaysians know this and neither did I realise how near we are till the papers here published a report on it last week.. we are incredibly close!

For some long stretches around the Northern coast, Singapore and Malaysia are only seperated by 1kilometer of water. I felt a bit more vulnerable. I mean seriously, I think a lot of people can swim across a 1km stretch of water without too much difficulty, especially if he uses a float, an improvised one or otherwise.

To be fair to the Singapore Police Coast Guard, we've got a very large border to land ratio being an island and Malaysia especially and Indonesia are so near.

I think quite well of Coast Guard and they have been doing a pretty good job. Being a "First World" city in a region with many "Third World" ones around, Singapore has had quite an illegal immigrant problem and Coast Guard's one of the agencies that have kept it well under control. But nevertheless its impossible to have absolute omnipresent security around the surrounding waters unless we and Malaysia cordon ourselves off with fences I reckon!

Actually, I also read that certain parts of the border on both Malaysia and Sinapore are fenced up to deter someone swimming across. Its random stretches that are fenced up so if someone swimming across hits a fenced area, it would be hard to tell where the fence ends and the time could expose the individual. Maybe both sides should build more of these.

[s7r0ng3r]

Chances are he created an arm float out of something convenient like a plastic bag for example. Hence improvised.

Ah, I can see that. A plastic bag, maybe even an empty oil drum.

Does anyone else think that there should be an increased military presence around borders? (And I mean more than we have now)

[concept|infinit]

Ah, I can see that. A plastic bag, maybe even an empty oil drum.

Does anyone else think that there should be an increased military presence around borders? (And I mean more than we have now)

The waters closest to the country are patrolled by the Police Coast Guard from the "Home Team" (Ministry of Home Affairs) while the outer waters come under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence, the Navy.

There are some constraints the Home Team is facing now, especially in the Police Force as was discussed in the papers here recently. There has been quite a manpower crunch, probably because of the increasing demands on cops here and the longer working hours but the ministry is addressing it now.

Well I'm sure they'd find some way or another to beef up the deployment around the borders knowing how the authorities here are so strict with security.

[acey]

I
To be fair to the Singapore Police Coast Guard, we've got a very large border to land ratio being an island and Malaysia especially and Indonesia are so near.

No doubt it is difficult to look out for 1 person given limited resources and vast coastline.

What I would have done is to deploy SAF soldiers and get them to stand 10 metres apart from each other at the coastline - 24 X 7 basis after Mas Selamat escaped.

with 1 KM coastline, 1000m/10 soliders= 100 soldiers are needed at the boarder at anyone time X 3 (for shift rotation) = 300 soldiers. 1 company of infantrymen would do the trick (officers have to do sentry duty too, to be fair).

[SuperJonJon]

No doubt it is difficult to look out for 1 person given limited resources and vast coastline.

What I would have done is to deploy SAF soldiers and get them to stand 10 metres apart from each other at the coastline - 24 X 7 basis after Mas Selamat escaped.

with 1 KM coastline, 1000m/10 soliders= 100 soldiers are needed at the boarder at anyone time X 3 (for shift rotation) = 300 soldiers. 1 company of infantrymen would do the trick (officers have to do sentry duty too, to be fair).

Unfortunately, Singapore has about 200km of coast line. That would mean about 60,000 soldiers. SAF has about 75K active personnel, so it would be like putting the whole army around SG.

Although I agree with the idea, it would be rather impractical to mobilise the whole army to catch 1 guy.

After the escape, they did setup sentry posts along the coast.

[GoldenPigeon]

Well...the main thing is...now i hope the singapore/malaysia goverment would slowly get leads from mas selamat...to capture the remaining terrorist around the region as well as the Jemah islamic group

[Gunnar Smithsen]

now i hope the singapore/malaysia goverment would slowly get leads from mas selamat...

I wouldn't be holding your breath on this one GoldenPigeon

No terrorist worth their salt would be playing give up...

[scooby5]

Although I agree with the idea, it would be rather impractical to mobilise the whole army to catch 1 guy.

Considering this "1 guy" was supposedly Singapore's most wanted terrorist, i don't think a few extra soldiers along the northern shores of the territory would have been impractical.

The only thing that would have made it impractical is the fact most people thought he probably did a runner to Indonesia straight from jail, given that the public were not notified to keep a look out for him until many hours alter. Either that or hop a bus to Malaysia but either way, half an hour is no problem to get out if nobody is looking for you.

[acey]

Considering this "1 guy" was supposedly Singapore's most wanted terrorist, i don't think a few extra soldiers along the northern shores of the territory would have been impractical.

Agree. How often do in Singapore do we get a "prison-break" ??

I would have done the following (in addition to establishing a perimeter on northern shore with 1 solider every 10metres):

1. Insert a Guards company by helicopter deep in the jungle. Get them to dig in and patrol for 1 week (field camp).

2. Deploy the Navy's APV (Assault Patrol Vessel) to complement coast guard to guard Johor straits

[flyguy]

yes the govt have done that and even more soldiers - incl Guards, Commandes and even Gurkhas to search the forested area and even the coast Guards n Navy were on alert with extra crafts - but yet selamat managed to swim across with "improvised flotation device?"

[huaiwei]

yes the govt have done that and even more soldiers - incl Guards, Commandes and even Gurkhas to search the forested area and even the coast Guards n Navy were on alert with extra crafts - but yet selamat managed to swim across with "improvised flotation device?"

Have you served NS?

[flyguy]

of course long ago and did complete my reservists' too and my unit was kinda "on" most of the time - but then again u must note that for the gurkhas, and even the armed forces - the search would have included many regulars too, inclu ding the police, the police field force, special units and even the K9 unit.

[huaiwei]

of course long ago and did complete my reservists' too and my unit was kinda "on" most of the time - but then again u must note that for the gurkhas, and even the armed forces - the search would have included many regulars too, inclu ding the police, the police field force, special units and even the K9 unit.

So you obviously did not serve your NS in the home team?