SECTION_NAME:ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

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[Mr Speaker in the Chair]:

ORAL ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:

ESCAPE OF MAS SELAMAT KASTARI:

(Updates): 1.

Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs if he will provide an update on the findings of the Committee of Inquiry which was set up to look into Mas Selamat's escape from the Whitley Road Detention Centre.

2.

M:

dm Ho Geok Choo asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs if he will provide an update on Mas Selamat's escape with regard to (i) the preliminary details of his escape; and (ii) what control measures are put in place to prevent a recurrence.

3.

Mr Chiam See Tong asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs how is it that a top Indonesian terrorist leader whom Singapore and Indonesia took great pains in apprehending could escape from detention in Singapore.

4.

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs if he will provide an update and assessment of the massive manhunt

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for Mas Selamat and the estimated expenditure of the operation.

5.

Dr Teo Ho Pin:

Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs if he will provide an update on the manhunt for Mas Selamat and whether more can be done to engage the community and various stakeholders to further increase our security vigilance and alertness.

Dr Teo Ho Pin asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs what measures are taken to prevent (i) illegal entry/exit of goods and people into/out of Singapore; and (ii) the congestion at the Causeway and Second Link immigration/customs checkpoints during peak and off-peak hours.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (Mr Wong Kan Seng): Mr Speaker, Sir, I will be answering Question Nos. 1 to 6 later, after Question Time, when I make my Ministerial Statement.

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ESCAPE OF MAS SELAMAT KASTARI:

(Government responsibility): 7.

Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Prime Minister what is the Government's approach to taking responsibility for major lapses in Government functions such as the escape of high-risk terror suspect Mas Selamat Kastari from the Whitley Road Detention Centre.

Mr Wong Kan Seng (for the Prime Minister): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Prime Minister will also answer this Question in a Ministerial Statement but he will do it tomorrow.

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