The niece of Mas Selamat Kastari, who harboured the terrorist after his escape two years ago, will likely be dismissed from her post as a Malay language teacher, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE).
A spokesman told The Straits Times (ST) on Tuesday, “‘MOE takes disciplinary action, including dismissal, against teachers who have been charged and convicted in court for a criminal offence.”
“We will proceed to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Nur Aini Asmom, with a view to dismiss her from service, as she has been found guilty by the Subordinate Courts for harbouring a prisoner of State.”
Nur Aini was sentenced to 18 months’ jail for her role in harbouring Mas Selamat.
Mas Selamat, who escaped the massive island-wide manhunt for two days after his escape from the Whitley Road Detention Centre (WRDC), hid in his brother’s home in Tampines for a night on Feb 29, 2008, before escaping to Malaysia.
It was a move that puzzled many, since standard procedure for season militants from Jemaah Islamiah (JI) would be to approach other JI members and not family members.
Terror experts said it could be because the authorities were focusing on other JI members, or that the JI network in Singapore had been dismantled.
Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said in a Ministerial statement in Parliament on Monday, “Mas Selamat believed that it would be safe for him at Asmom’s house as only Nur Aini would be there and that she would render assistance to him.”
He wanted to get help from his niece, Nur Aini, whom he thought was home alone. He had thought that his brother and his wife were staying in their Johor house, while Asmom’s son, Mahadir, was overseas.
Asmom, his wife Aisah and daughter Nui Aini were jailed between three and 18 months for harbouring the terrorist after his escape. His brother, Asmom was given 12 months while his sister-in-law Aisah, three months’ jail. They were arrested and charged last Wednesday, on November 10.
Mas Selamat’s nephew, Mahadir, who had a lesser role in the matter, has been served a stern warning in lieu of prosecution.
Mr Shanmugam added that Nur Aini had persuaded her mother to allow Mas Selamat to enter the flat. Her mother had reservations about allowing Mas Selamat into the flat because his fugitive status had gone public and she knew that it was wrong to help him.
Nur Aini allowed him to use her bedroom, provided him food and water, and also helped him to destroy the clothes he wore to the flat, which included his WRDC-issued attire.
On 1 Mar 2008, before Mas Selamat left the flat, Nur Aini applied make-up on Mas Selamat and secured a tudung (headscarf) over his head so that he could disguise himself as a woman to evade detection and recapture. She also handed to him a map of Singapore that showed part of Malaysia.
Asmom gave him S$100 and RM100 to facilitate his escape from Singapore to Malaysia. He also gave Mas Selamat some traditional medicine which the latter kept in his backpack while Aisah gave him an EZ-link card and hair-net which he wore as part of his disguise, and some paracetamol.
Mr Shanmugam said the three had knowingly harboured Mas Selamat, an escaped prisoner of the State, whom they knew was the subject of a massive manhunt.
They deliberately withheld information when they were interviewed by the authorities on March 3, 2008.
It was only in October this year, after being confronted with the facts, that they admitted to what had happened.
Mr Shanmugam added that Asmom and his family’s decision to harbour Mas Selamat and provide him with material support that enabled him to escape to Malaysia was very wrong, illegal, and had grave security implications.
As to how Mas Selamat made his way to Asmom’s flat and how he subsequently made his way to Malaysia, Mr Shanmugam said the account given by Mas Selamat is still subject to verification.
Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, said he was very disappointed that Mas Selamat was aided by his family members after he escaped from WRDC.
In a statement, Dr Yaacob, who is Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, said harbouring criminals is a very serious offence — more so when it involved a wanted fugitive who was a threat to the whole country — at a time when everyone was deeply concerned and actively looking out for him.
“I am disappointed because we know that Singaporeans from all backgrounds have come together since 2002 — the Malay/Muslim community very prominently — to keep the lid on the danger of terrorism.”
He added that the good work must continue at all levels to build understanding and confidence, and enhance safety and security for Singapore to emerge stronger from this episode as a society.
Mas Selamat is a hardened and dangerous terrorist, who has been involved in various plots by the JI to mount terrorist attacks in Singapore since the 1990s. He is operationally trained and has undergone training twice in Al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan.
Mas Selamat was caught in Johor on April 1, 2009 and held in a Malaysian prison until he was handed over to Singapore on Sept 24, 2010.
After reading this article, I was quite shock about this incident. Firstly, Nur Aini Asmom is a teacher. As a teacher, she should know this it was wrong to help Mas Selamat, but she still did it knowing that it is wrong. I think that what the MOE did is right, she should be dismiss.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, even if Nur Aini Asmom decide to let Mas Selamat in, the rest of her family member should strongly disagree to it. They should inform the police about it as soon as possible. However, they did not just let Mas Selamat into their house, they also provide him the money, map and clothings to escape! They even help to disguise him as a woman.
In conclusion, I feel that what they did are unacceptable. They know that the police are hunting for him and they should inform the police as soon as possible! I also hope that the police will keep an eye on Mas Selamat and do not let him escape again.
After reading this article, I feel that what the family members of Mas Selamat did was totally wrong. After all, Mas Selamat is a dangerous terrorist who has been involved in various terrorists acts and has been trained twice in Al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan. By habouring and helping him escape, Nur Aini is actually putting the lives of Singaporeans in danger. Did it ever occur to Nur Aini that Mas Selamat might bomb Singapore any time soon?
ReplyDeleteBy habouring a prisoner, she has already committed an offence. In addition, she even helped him to escape so I feel that the Ministry of Education (MOE) did the right thing in dismissing her from her teaching job. Nur Aini and her family members deserve to be charged and jailed because at that point when Mas Selamat escaped, the whole of Singapore was looking for him. I think that what they did was a selfish act because as the day goes by and Mas Selamat is still at large, what if many lives were lost because of their act of helping him?
I feel that the right thing that they should have done was to report to the authorities. It is true that one’s family should not betray its own members but if it is for the right cause, it is a right act. Why put the lives of thousands in danger just because of an escaped terrorist? I believe that the main lesson learnt from this case is that don’t be blinded by justice. If a crime has been committed, do the right thing and report to the authorities even if it means betraying your own loved ones because you may be able to save thousands of lives because of your actions.
After reading this article, I feel that some actions need to be taken against the Nur Aini but not too severe up to the point of losing her job in the teaching industry.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I agree that what Nur Aini has done was wrong. Mas Selamat is such a dangerous person and a wanted criminal but yet she helped him to escape. However, she did not even support his territorial activities. Furthermore, he was his uncle and it is difficult for her and her family to turn him down as they are a close relative. Thus, I feel that her actions are morally right even though it was legally wrong.
Secondly, I was surprised that no one did checks on his relative’s houses immediately after the escape. The Defence Ministry wasted time and resources finding him island wide but did not check on Asmom’s place. Although it was something unexpected, I think they should be smart and alert enough to try all the possibilities. Moreover they are to be blamed for letting Mas Selamat escape from prison in the first place. I feel that punishing his relatives harshly are just ways to divert our attention. Thus they should also be sacked if the niece is to lose her job.
In conclusion, I think Nur Aini should be given a chance and not get sacked. However the family should still be punished for assisting Mas Selamat. They should be given stern warnings, or asked to leave the country. At the same time, Defence Ministry must look carefully into this matter and ensure it will not happen again. I hope Singapore will remain a safe country to live in.
About this article, most people would think that they are old enough to know that doing this is against the law, but i personally think that they could be both right or wrong depending on how you look at it.
ReplyDeleteFor most people, they would actually feel that since they know it very well that it's against the law, it's wrong for them to have lend a helping hands to them. This will just bring trouble not to the country, but to themselves as well because they will face punishments if they get caught.
However, what most people don't put in mind is that they are family after all, they could have strong bonds before. It is natural for family to help each other in needs, even though you may feel that it is wrong, sometimes there is still a urge to help them.
Therefore in conclusion, I wouldn't take sides to whether they are right or wrong in doing so, because for somethings that people do, there is no right or wrong to it. It's just that everyone may view it in different perspectives.
rebecca
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article, I am really surprise to know that fellow Singaporeans are helping a terrorist to escape. Although it is understandable that family members should help one another, but this concern the safety and security of the whole country,
Moreover, being an educator she should be able to differentiate between right and wrong and should not help him at all. You never know what he will do once he get out and maybe allias back with the terrorist group and plan another attack.
However, The Singapore Police also did not do a very good job as they did not have a tight security to place him in the first place. After he escaped, the first thing they should check up on his family members, and probably he would have been caught back again.
In conclusion, at least he is caught again and I hoope that such a thing would not happen.