SINGAPORE, Jan 22 — Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean has directed the chief commissioners of both the immigration checkpoints authority (ICA) and the police, to report on the corrective action being taken, following a breach in security at the Woodlands Checkpoint.
Teo, who is also coordinating minister for national security and minister for home affairs, said: "I have expressed dissatisfaction to the Commissioner of ICA and the Commissioner of Police over the breach at the Woodlands Checkpoint and the subsequent response actions.
"This case, which could have had more serious consequences than what (had) occurred, should have been prevented and dealt with more urgently and decisively.
"I have directed the commissioners to report to me the corrective actions they are taking, and recommended appropriate action to be taken against officers who had not discharged their duties properly," he said in a statement today.
Earlier, according to a joint statement, the ICA and police arrested a 27-year-old Malaysian woman on Monday in the compound of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for criminal trespass.
The woman, who has a history of mental illness, is also being investigated for evading immigration authorities. She is currently under police custody.
With the assistance of the Malaysian High Commission and the Royal Malaysian Police, her next-of-kin in Malaysia have been contacted to facilitate investigations.
Based on preliminary investigations, the subject had entered Singapore in a Malaysian-registered car on January 17, via the Woodlands Checkpoint at 1.58pm and left the checkpoint at about 2pm. — Bernama
