In a review after the attacks, this fact was cited as a contributory factor to generally poor security vigilance at US airports, and hence the success of the attacks.

This lapse was corrected, and today, security screening of passengers and baggage at US airports is done by federal government staff - employees of the Transportation Security Administration. Clearly, the US paid to learn its lesson.

Yet, in the Recruit section of Saturday's Straits Times, the Singapore Airport Police placed an advertisement for security screening officers (casual employment), who will be paid hourly for casual employment for six months to a year.

We have just experienced a major security failure with the escape of Mas Selamat Kastari. Will we now entrust security screening of passengers and baggage at Changi Airport - the last line of security defence before a flight takes off - to casual, hourly paid, short-term employees? Is security screening at Changi Airport a 'casual' function?

Can Singapore afford another security setback where Changi Airport, or flights leaving Singapore, are attacked or hijacked? Is this another sign of our 'complacency'? Let us pray we can learn from the US' 9/11 lesson - without having to 'pay'.

Tan Soon Hock