Is denial become a SOP for all government worldwide? Is extrajudicial allow to protect image?
Of course, the Little Napoleon here is NOT referring to Mr. Lee Hsien Loong (The Prime Minister of Singapore,Orchard Road, Istana, Singapore 238823 ) but the security officer on duty at the Emerald Gate (Rear of Istana) (Istana= Palace in Malay word).
Out of courtesy, I went to sent a gift (the book I published) to the Prime Minister of Singapore (Mr. Lee HL). The book is about Austronesian where Singapore is part of the Austronesia territory.
I first approached the front gate where I waited for 5minutes to only learned that I suppose to enter on the other gate at the rear of the premises. He then photograph my ID with his personal handphone! ~not sure what is that for...
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| Scissor, folding knife& first-aids box |
Fair enough, I then walk 10 minutes to the gates, as told. queue for my turn and register, as everyone else do. however, what I want is to delivery to the book to the mailbox and left. Never intend to enter the Istana Office or to meet anyone. The mailbox is right next to the security post within the same building.
Understandably for location of such require high security and I did comply and given full cooperation. shoes, belt, phone and bag were all inside the High energy baggage screening equipment and me passing through the security screening door. However, things turn messy when they started open up my bag and questioning why I brought folding ceramic knife( less than 2 inches) and scissors(less than 1 inch), among others things i.e. books, water bottle, swimming suit& lunch box. I told them they can confiscate if they wish to, otherwise I do not wish to proceed to the delivery if those items is not permissible.
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| High Energy Security Screening Equipment(x-ray machine) |
I was not allowed to leave. So is this not illegal detention? Under which law given them the power to restrict my movement? is this not illegal detention, if I choose not to proceed but is being detent?
It is simply nonsensical to have such thorough check from head to toe for delivery of an unwrap book but what more absurd is to withhold me after they have cleared all items in the bag except my wallet still detent inside the security room outside my sight. Throughout the process, my wallet& phone was outside my sight which evoke the possibility of stealing private data (my SD card contain inside my wallets).
My wallet was then returned to me a few minutes while waiting for the mailbox area. The whole process of which my wallet& phone being detent is around 20minutes which is an unreasonable amount of time, open for the possibility of stealing data and misuse it.
So what contain inside my wallet? Other than some cash and cards, it is the USB thumbdrive and SD card that I'm concern about. It store copyrighted files, personal data, bank information, and commercial data.
The question is how my wallet become a security threat to the mailbox? what take it so long to examine a wallet? Is that necessary or misuse of power (power they don't even possess)?
Even in places where power is given for security personnel to search and inspect, such as Airport and immigration custom, must done before the eyes of the owner, in order to be fair. This is to prevent false accusation as additional item may be added to frame a person or stealing of the person belongings. This demonstrate the lack of law knowledge and laxity in professional ethics within the security personnel on duty there.
It was not wise to express my anger and frustration because otherwise they would have good reason to accuse me of posing a threat or disrupting the peace in the premises. But of course, it had got nothing to do with Mr. Lee Hsien Loong or Singapore as a whole. It was perhaps what known as Little Napoleon trying to flex the muscle they don't possess.
Vulgar words were heard spreading out of nowhere but I hope it is not to me and to no logic it is to me, so I think it is more toward the image of Singapore and the Singapore Istana rather than me. Imagine vulgar words where heard when VIP from China is visiting the Istana!
So what make them a little napoleon? and what is unlawful?
- Illegal detention (restrict free movement as I spoken not to proceed and wanted to leave).
-Unlawfully inspect private asset without consent and out of sight of the owner.
-The vulgar words cause no lose to me but possibly a tort(keep Singapore image) as a security personnel on duty.
I understand the extreme paranoid behaviour of a tiny nation surrounded by countries with so different economy status and population demographic yet highly depending on nature resources, especially water and food. but Singapore and Malaysia is close enough to allow for Singapore share Johor airspace and depleting water resource at ridiculous price of RM0.03/1000gallon! of course, that can't blame Singapore. It had got a grip on Johor balls by treating the water and resupply back to Johor with the raw water they brought from, even though the cost of treatment (~RM1/1000gallon) as compare to the next cheapest selling price of $5.8/1000gallon. (China to Hong Kong) is still a huge gap! But I'm just a delivery boy and a nonpartisan type. Why treat me in such a way? What I have done so far is purely on Sustainable Development and surely I'm not a nationalist until to the extend you need to check my wallet for so long!!