WSJ Blog, 23 Jan 2014
A Malaysian motorist breached Singapore border security and eluded police for three days before being arrested this week while trespassing the city-state’s foreign ministry headquarters, in what officials described as a serious security lapse.
The incident drew opprobrium from government officials and citizens alike, and many Singaporeans have taken to social media to criticize what they perceive as shoddy policing in a country long reputed for orderliness and low crime.
The apparent ease with which the Malaysian woman was able to breach two security checkpoints in four days also prompted anger and ridicule among citizens, who say the incident points to what they perceive as police complacency.
“If this ‘lapse’ is not symptomatic of some kind of systems breakdown, then I don’t know what is,” Bertha Henson, a former senior newspaper editor turned social commentator, wrote on her blog. “It would be ironic if our law enforcement agencies and their officers are taking peace and security for granted.” Full story
