Saturday, May 23, 2009

Question: How did Mas Selemat escape? Here's the answer.

JEMAAH Islamiah militant Mas Selamat Kastari took to wearing women’s clothes to escape detection after breaking out from the Whitley Road Detention Centre in Singapore last year.

Harian Metro reported that the terrorist wore several layers of clothing, which he could quickly shed and change to cover his tracks.

The Malay tabloid said Mas Selamat had used drains as his escape route to the beach in Woodlands, from which he swam across 2km under the cover of night to Stulang Laut in Johor Baru, using only children’s arm buoys as aid.

A source said he had been planning his escape for a year by constantly testing how long the guards at the centre would allow him to remain in the toilet.

> Berita Harian reported that the Kedah state financial office had been directed to submit to the Mentri Besar all the records put in by an executive council member suspected of excessive claims.

Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak said he had also directed the office to check if the executive council member had made his claims according to procedures and guidelines.

He was reported as saying that he would meet with the executive council member, who is currently overseas.

The daily also quoted Malay sian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Datuk Seri Ahmad Said Hamdan as saying that investigations showed there was no case against former Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said for corruption.

However, he did not discount the possibility that other names linked to the case might have abused their powers in awarding contracts.

He also declined to elaborate if the ministry’s officials and her two senior officers – from whom MACC had recorded statements – were involved.