SINGAPORE — A cash reward of S$1 million is being offered for information leading to the apprehension of Mas Selamat inside or outside Singapore.
Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng revealed this in Parliament on Monday in response to a question on fugitive JI leader Mas Selamat.
The million dollar reward has been put up by two private individuals who approached the Home Affairs Ministry.
DPM Wong said the individuals had asked the ministry to operationalise their proposal because they wished to remain anonymous to protect themselves, families or business interests in the region from becoming a target for retaliation.
The House was also reminded that the Singapore Police Force, as a policy does not offer cash rewards for information on fugitives and unsolved crimes,
or for assistance from the public.
However, the authorities do not object if private corporations and individuals wish to offer cash reward as a labour—supply company and a non—government organisation did in March, offering $50,000 and $5,000 respectively for information on Mas Selamat.
On the whereabouts of Mas Selamat, the DPM said that up till now, Singapore’s security agencies have not received any information from their Indonesian counterparts to confirm that the JI fugitive is hiding in Indonesia.
Neither has domestic intelligence shown that the Singapore JI leader has left the country.
"We obviously cannot dismiss the possibility that Mas Selamat could have managed to escape Singapore for another country. Singapore is not a fortress" added Mr Wong.
However, if Mas Selamat has escaped abroad, DPM Wong said Singapore will work with the relevant foreign counterparts to track him down and bring him back into custody in Singapore.
Parliament was told that given the time since Mas Selamat’s escape, the scenario of Mas Selamat being harboured by sympathisers inside or outside Singapore must logically be treated as increasingly plausible. However, there is no intelligence at present to substantiate it said Mr Wong.
