THERE has been a security lapse at the Whitley Road detention centre which allowed Mas Selamat to escape.

Mas Selamat at the time was taken out of his individual cell where he was confined to go to the family visit room to wait for the arrival of his family. He asked to go to the toilet where he escaped.

This should never have happened. I am sorry that it has. An independent investigation is underway and we should not speculate now as to what and how it happened. Security at the centre has been stepped up.

Mas Selamat is a security threat which is why he was placed under preventive detention. However, there is no information that he has any plans that threaten public security at this time. Nevertheless, we are not taking any chances.

Dr Teo asked why the public was informed only about four hours later. Our security agencies assessed at the time of Mas Selamat's escape that there was no imminent danger to the public.

The plan was to lock down the Whitley Road detention centre and then start a systematic operation to find and arrest him. The priority is to arrest him. No effort will be spared to track him down. Security at all our land, sea and air checkpoints has been tightened, including areas where there's possibility that he may leave our shores not from the normal immigration clearance areas.

In the meantime, I urge the public to stay calm and to report any suspicious sighting to the police immediately. Anyone who renders assistance to him is committing a grave offence.