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THE Prime Minister yesterday declared his full confidence in Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng and the director of the Internal Security Department (ISD).
Mr Lee Hsien Loong also asked Workers' Party chief Low Thia Khiang to state before the House if he believed Mr Wong should resign over the embarrassing escape of Mas Selamat Kastari.
Mr Low did not answer.
The opposition MP for Hougang had earlier argued that since ministers' salaries were benchmarked to top private-sector pay, they should take the rap for mistakes, the way corporate chiefs do.
The exchange took place amid a clamour from some quarters for heads to roll at the Home Affairs Ministry (MHA), where Mr Wong is minister.
Yesterday, PM Lee made clear that in deciding responsibility for mistakes, he had to draw a line somewhere.
He took Mr Low to task for not raising the issue with Mr Wong himself on Monday, when the DPM had fielded questions from 19 MPs on Mas Selamat's escape.
Instead, Mr Low waited until yesterday to 'throw a general cloud and say: 'You're well paid, you should resign',' Mr Lee said.
In his speech on government responsibility, Mr Lee said he had personally gone through the Committee of Inquiry's report.
He was satisfied that the Home Affairs Ministry had taken correct remedial and disciplinary action.
'The minister and top management were not to blame for what has happened. DPM Wong as the minister and the director of ISD both continue to have my full confidence,' he said. The ISD director, whom he did not name, is Mr Pang Kin Keong.
Mr Lee also praised the ISD's sterling work in keeping Singapore safe, and its success in securing the Muslim community's support in the fight against terrorism.
These achievements reflect the professional competence of the ISD leadership and top MHA officers working under Mr Wong.
'That is why I have confidence in them,' he said.
LYDIA LIM
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