CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DEPARTMENT LOCK-UP (Security arrangements)

Mr Zulkifli bin Mohammed asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether he is satisfied with the existing security arrangements at the Criminal Investigation Department lock-up and whether any enhanced measures are being contemplated.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs (Assoc. Prof. Ho Peng Kee)(for the Minister for Home Affairs): Sir, existing security measures at the CID lock-up are adequate to prevent detained persons from escaping. However, in view of a recent incident, CID is considering implementing additional measures to prevent a recurrence of the incident.

Sir, first, let me describe some of the existing measures. The main gate of the CID lock-up can only be opened from the outside. The main gate leads to the lock-up area which has cells for holding accused persons, a common bathing area and some ancillary rooms on both sides of the corridor. Under no circumstances will the key to the main gate be brought into the lock-up. The lock-up is monitored through closed circuit cameras. Also, no weapons are allowed into the lock-up. This measure ensures that persons detained will not have access to any weapon if they manage to overpower any officer.

Sir, the two accused persons who recently attempted to escape from the CID lock-up are facing capital charges. Hence, they are desperate people. In the incident, one of the accused persons was being escorted to his cell from the common bathing area after a bath. When the cell door was opened, he, together with his cell mate, overpowered the officers in the lock-up.

Sir, with the present structure of the CID lock-up, movement of persons within the lock-up is unavoidable. CID is looking into ways to minimise the movement of detained persons drawing from lessons learnt in their post-mortem of the incident.