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.
