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Coffeeshop Chit Chat - Shanmugam contradicts WongKS</TD><TD id=msgunetc noWrap align=right>
Subscribe </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=msgtable cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="96%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=msg vAlign=top><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgbfr1 width="1%"> </TD><TD><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgF width="1%" noWrap align=right>From: </TD><TD class=msgFname width="68%" noWrap>MissClarity <NOBR></NOBR> </TD><TD class=msgDate width="30%" noWrap align=right>12:45 am </TD></TR><TR class=msghead><TD class=msgT height=20 width="1%" noWrap align=right>To: </TD><TD class=msgTname width="68%" noWrap>ALL <NOBR></NOBR></TD><TD class=msgNum noWrap align=right> (1 of 6) </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgleft rowSpan=4 width="1%"> </TD><TD class=wintiny noWrap align=right>13157.1 </TD></TR><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>The ST reported WKS as saying: 'Singapore is a small country. It has a long coastline. It is porous, and it's easy for people and for goods to be brought in or even to leave Singapore,' he said.
Yet, the Second Home Affairs Minister, Shanmugam, just issued a statement that directly contradicts his boss's claim of our coastline being POROUS and EASY for people and goods to be brought in or even leave Singapore.
The Home Affairs Ministry appears really confused. I cant blame the staff for wondering if they work is of any value since even their bosses cannot agree if our security is porous or tight.
So WKS' loose = Shanmugam's tight? Does this difference in opinion apply to other things besides security?
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20090510/tap-071-govt-plug-weakness-singapores-bo-231650b.html
Government will plug any weakness in Singapore's border security
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Law and Second Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam has said security along the country's borders is tight.
He stressed that if there is any weakness in Singapore's border security, the government will work towards plugging it. Mr Shanmugam was speaking on the sidelines of a fund-raising event organised by New Hope Community Society.
He was responding to questions on whether border security measures would be enhanced, after it emerged that terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari had swum across the Straits of Johor from Singapore's northern coast using an improvised flotation device.
Mr Shanmugam said: "In certain stretches between Singapore and Malaysia, it's a few hundred metres across. And every day people try to get in. It's a constant challenge for officers. Wherever it can be plugged, of course we will do so, but it's a pretty tight system."
He also commended the close cooperation between the police forces of Singapore and Malaysia in the re-arrest of Mas Selamat.
He said Singapore's Home Team officers were very stretched with their duties when Mas Selamat escaped in February last year.
They had to put in extra effort beyond their call of duty to track him down. But the arrest of the Jemaah Islamiyah leader showed the determination of the Internal Security Department (ISD).
CNA/ir
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Yet, the Second Home Affairs Minister, Shanmugam, just issued a statement that directly contradicts his boss's claim of our coastline being POROUS and EASY for people and goods to be brought in or even leave Singapore.
The Home Affairs Ministry appears really confused. I cant blame the staff for wondering if they work is of any value since even their bosses cannot agree if our security is porous or tight.
So WKS' loose = Shanmugam's tight? Does this difference in opinion apply to other things besides security?
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20090510/tap-071-govt-plug-weakness-singapores-bo-231650b.html
Government will plug any weakness in Singapore's border security
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Law and Second Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam has said security along the country's borders is tight.
He stressed that if there is any weakness in Singapore's border security, the government will work towards plugging it. Mr Shanmugam was speaking on the sidelines of a fund-raising event organised by New Hope Community Society.
He was responding to questions on whether border security measures would be enhanced, after it emerged that terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari had swum across the Straits of Johor from Singapore's northern coast using an improvised flotation device.
Mr Shanmugam said: "In certain stretches between Singapore and Malaysia, it's a few hundred metres across. And every day people try to get in. It's a constant challenge for officers. Wherever it can be plugged, of course we will do so, but it's a pretty tight system."
He also commended the close cooperation between the police forces of Singapore and Malaysia in the re-arrest of Mas Selamat.
He said Singapore's Home Team officers were very stretched with their duties when Mas Selamat escaped in February last year.
They had to put in extra effort beyond their call of duty to track him down. But the arrest of the Jemaah Islamiyah leader showed the determination of the Internal Security Department (ISD).
CNA/ir
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